Employees succeed for a number of reasons; ability, experience and skill all play a part. But these factors don’t always explain the difference between a good employee and a great one. Sometimes the difference is a good mentor.
Mentoring can be a valuable retention tool and a critical element in employee development.
Effective mentoring, however, usually requires the development of a personal relationship between the mentor and the mentee. Good mentors become emotionally committed to their mentees’ success. As a result, their relationship cannot be strictly professional.
But if the modern-day avalanche of harassment and discrimination claims have taught us anything, it is that introducing personal feelings and relationships into the business environment is not free of legal risk.
