How Long Should a Mentorship Program Last?

One of the most common questions asked by those considering joining mentorship is “How long should a mentorship program last?” It’s a vital question that both mentors and mentees ask before they commit to joining a mentorship program. An organisation’s program administrator needs to know how to answer this question directly.

In this article, we’ll give a rough idea of the average mentoring relationship length and the two mentoring types offered by Brancher. 

How Long Should Mentorship Last? 

Workplace mentorship programs typically last between 6 and 12 months. Studies have shown that true development doesn’t happen in mentoring relationships that last less than six months. On the other hand, we’ve also found that mentorship programs that last longer than 12 months become stagnant and a bit tiresome for all parties. This is why we recommend running a mentorship program for at least six months.

However, some factors need to be considered:

1. What are the objectives of the program and is there a broader context or agenda to be aware of? E.g. some mentoring programs will go for the same amount of time as another initiative, such as a graduate program, leadership development program or apprenticeship
2. What is the capacity of the mentor? Do they have capacity to meet each month for 6 months, or only a couple of months?
3. What are the goals of the mentee? Often mentees don’t know their goals upfront, so it’s challenging to estimate the length of the relationship without starting the relationship.

The best relationships are those where both pairs are aligned on expectations and commitments. Brancher’s Mentoring Agreement helps pairs to align on the important factors upfront.  

When a pair starts to fade (i.e. is meeting less frequently than once a month), it might be time to ‘wrap it up’. Ending a relationship is often awkward. As such, ‘wrapping it up’ should be normalised at the beginning of the program by the program manager, who can emphasise that closing a relationship is a good thing. It allows the mentor to go and mentor someone else. It allows the mentee to request another mentor who is a good fit for their next goal/s.

Sometimes pairs need some additional support. For pairs that are becoming stagnant or not meeting regularly, administrators should have visibility of this data to see when pairs are “off track” and might need a check-in. Mentoring software can make tracking success easy and transparent via an accessible dashboard.

How Long Do Brancher’s Mentoring Programs Go For?

The duration of the mentorship program offered by Brancher depends on the type chosen. Brancher has two types of mentoring programs: ‘cohort’ and ‘always on’ Here’s how these two types differ: 

Cohort-based Mentoring

Cohort-based mentoring follows the traditional mentoring framework where everyone starts and ends the program at the same time. In this type of mentoring program, Brancher allows program administrators to decide how long the program should last, from 6 to 10 months. Although administrators can choose to run a program for up to 12 months, it isn’t recommended since the participants tend to drop out and not meet as frequently as they would in a shorter program. 

Pros of Cohort-based Mentoring

• This type of mentoring program encourages peer interaction and collaboration since it brings people together. It creates a sense of community and belonging. 
• It’s best when combined with another initiative, like a graduate or leadership development program that participants can be part of. 

Cons of Cohort-based Mentoring:

• The program administrator assumes that everyone wants a mentoring relationship for the same amount of time. 
• If participants want to join a cohort, they must wait for the next intake schedule once a current cohort is underway. 
• It also lacks personalisation since the program needs to follow a generic, one-size-fits-all approach. This might not address each employee’s specific learning style and needs. 

Always-On Mentoring

Unlike cohort-based mentoring, the Always-On mentoring is designed to be flexible. The participants can find and request mentor at any time. This allows people to engage with a mentor at a time that suits them, for a period of time that suits them. 

With this type of mentoring program the mentor and mentee can make a mutual decision on how long they wish their mentoring relationship to last. With Always-On mentoring, flash mentoring can occur where a mentor helps a mentee for a short period of two weeks or two months. Other times it’s longer - typically last 6 to 10 months. The average, however, is eight months. 

Pros of Always-On Mentoring

• Pairs can decide when to start and wrap the mentorship up. 
• They can wrap up the relationship in two weeks if they believe they are ready to put an end to the program. 

Cons of Always-On Mentoring

• It is not sustainable without technology.

Why the Always-On Mentoring Model Works

Comparing the two mentoring program types offered by Brancher, the latter is preferred by most mentees and mentors. The Always-On mentoring model allows participants to enter into a mentoring relationship at any time. They do not need to wait until the program gets filled up with mentees before they start. 

The Always-On model helps participants take each session according to their availability. This allows them to finish the mentoring program on their schedule and wrap up the relationship with their mentor. The mentor is then free to go and mentor someone else, which creates a continuous cycle of mentoring with other members of the workplace. This allows the organisation to have a culture of mentoring.

Mentoring Relationship Length 

So how long should a mentorship program last? It depends on the objectives and broader context of the organisation. 

You can see our mentoring software in action by booking a demo with us. This will give you a chance to check which of the two types of mentoring suit your organisation best. The Brancher team can help to advise the appropriate solution based on your objectives and the broader context of your organisation.

Resources:

1. Insala. (2020, March 29). Create Successful Mentoring Relationships. https://www.insala.com/blog/how-to-create-a-successful-mentoring-relationship