How start-ups should mentor and train staff
3 min read
Peter Done, Managing Director and founder of Peninsula
In today’s ultra-competitive job market it will not always be possible to find the perfect ready-made employee for your business, which means you may have to compromise on skills and experience from time to time. Therefore, efforts to train and mentor staff become all the more important as you look to advance an employee’s skillset and increase the contribution they are able to make to your business.
‘Buddying-up’
The ‘buddy system’ is a tried and tested way to mentor and train employees and for good reason. This is often especially useful for new joiners and inexperienced staff as having a more tenured colleague show them the ropes initially will help them settle in and allow them to hit the ground running. It will also give them a guiding hand and a useful source of knowledge throughout their early days with your business.
‘E-learning’
Whilst it may be rare for start-ups to have a dedicated learning and development department, it would certainly be feasible to develop a system of e-learning modules as a way of imparting important information to staff. These give you the option of tailoring training to relevant individuals, which will come in useful if you are looking to upskill certain individuals in particular areas to prepare them for senior or managerial positions.
‘Outside assistance’
Particularly as an emerging start-up, you may have staff carrying out a number of different roles, some of which they may not necessarily be a specialist in. To help them develop there are many third parties who offer professional training courses in fields such as marketing and project management, which can often be invaluable during a start-up’s formative years. Although this can rack up a substantial cost, it may be worth it for your business in the long term if the training is provided to key individuals that you envisage being with you in the years ahead.
‘Performance reviews’
Whether you choose to conduct formal annual reviews or more casual monthly catch-ups, keeping in regular contact with employees about their performance is a great way to mentor and train staff. Keep in mind that this exercise must be effective and should not simply be treated as a box ticking exercise, therefore open and honest communication is key. This will allow an arena for constructive feedback so individuals can course-correct if necessary, whilst also providing an opportunity to discover any roadblocks that may be restricting their progress.
‘Let them show their worth’
Giving promising staff a chance to prove themselves by making them responsible for a particular project can also be a useful mentoring technique. When handled correctly this can be a great way for individuals to develop confidence and pride in work that is solely theirs. The process of taking a piece of work from conception to completion can often be a rewarding learning experience and encourages staff to achieve their full potential. Naturally some degree of supervision will still be required on your part, however, remember that for many the best way of learning is by doing.
Final question: With the above in mind, which of these measures do you think would be most applicable to your business?
By Peter Done, Managing Director and founder of Peninsula.
