Poll: Would you get junior recruits to coach senior staff?
Some say ‘reverse mentoring’ builds ‘a more inclusive’ workforce. Others find it patronising.
ASKING YOUNGER RECRUITS to coach senior members of staff seems like a bit of a novel approach to team-building, but apparently it’s the ‘in’ thing to do in the corporate world right now.
In a column published by Fora, Alistair Cox, the CEO of recruitment agency Hays, argued that so-called ‘reverse mentoring’ schemes help create “a more diverse workforce and a more inclusive employment model”.
As well as providing more experienced staff with a fresh perspective, the method helps send a clear message to all employees that learning is a life-long thing.
But there are risks to ‘reverse mentoring’. For example, it can stoke sensitivities around seniority. Some execs might happily be mentored by a just-out-of-college greenhorn, but others might find the process patronising.
With that in mind, we’re asking Fora readers this week: Would you get junior staff to mentor senior management?
