The survey, the Chivas Regal Report on Working Americans, included answers from 1,000 workers nationwide. Those who do have mentors nowadays, according to the survey, are more likely to be getting advice on dealing with difficult situations and avoiding problems than the traditional information on goal setting and improving job skills. It might seem insignificant, this lack of a guiding hand. The survey found that having the support of a seasoned coworker can result in higher pay, advancement opportunities and job satisfaction. About 75 percent of workers in the survey who saw themselves as getting ahead financially and advancing in their jobs have workplace mentors.
Companies benefit from mentorships in improved training, increased loyalty and happier workers.
Mentors may also have an impact in helping companies grow, according to the survey. Among the individuals who reported their companies were growing, three in four had mentors. That's not news to the people at Web Converting, a Framingham company that converts products into components for audio and video tapes. Company officials so believe in mentoring, they've built a form of it into their operations. Workers are divided into teams, each led by a seasoned worker.