A Paradigm Shift in Mentorship Post-Pandemic

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Covid hit the world and pushed us all into an unprecedented event. Even after the pandemic has passed, the side effects are still shocking us, like the aftershocks of an earthquake. The human race has been through a few pandemics before, but it was the first in this digital age.

We became accustomed to the idea of hybrid working. Since digitalisation conquered every aspect of our lives, the idea of working remotely was floating. The pandemic just raced up the process. Otherwise, we were already heading towards non-office work.

However, when the pandemic accelerated the process, several things happened that the world was not ready for yet! One of these things is how we see mentorship and how it works in our professional lives.

Covid altered the way we work irrevocably hence, changing the need for mentorship. We cannot expect the models followed for decades to stay relevant now since teams are remote and meetings are online. Employees are hardly physically present, and it changes the dynamics.

Now, it may have changed how we need leaders, but it certainly doesn’t eliminate the essentiality of having them around. Organisations are still in continuous need to position themselves for growth, developing talent is still a priority, and facilitation of inclusion remains important. All of these areas require mentorship critically.

How a Pandemic Evolved the Workplace

There’s hardly anyone around the globe who came out of this pandemic with their work-life unchanged. Millions of workers were jobless, and the remaining were forced to work from home, not as a choice.

Even when the world comes to its normalcy, something is amiss. Workplaces are no more free of sanitisation, and safety protocols regarding health are imposed.

Nonetheless, the most significant change was a shift to remote working. It shattered the work-home boundary completely. For many people, the blur between work and personal life timings was too much to cope with on top of the stress the pandemic was creating.

Initially, employers staggered as well, and the need for mentorship was ignored. As time passed, with employees working from their homes, a significant drop in motivation that led to a decrease in productivity was noticed. Great minds were quick to judge that there was something that needed to be done by the leadership. Those not so bright to pick it up on their own followed the lead after facing substantial damage.

How Talent Market Changed Post-Covid

The entire concept of recruitment changed after the pandemic. Thankfully, it is not all that bad. For companies that got it right, the talent pool became gigantic. The restriction of location was nullified, and hiring talent across borders became a possibility.

Although you can now hire talent without having to worry about commute and time-in issues, it also increases the competition. Organisations now have to compete to get to the right candidate first, and that too with the best offer at hand. Companies that were never operating in the same domain and areas are now standing in a face-off when it comes to talent acquisition.

If an organisation fails to offer proper leadership and doesn’t mentor young and free-spirited talent, retaining employees can become a major problem.

The talent market has changed, and potential candidates are more aware of the seamless opportunities they have in front of them. Therefore, the talent acquisition process needs to be professional but friendly at the same time. It might be an issue for many of us as we have been trained to keep friendships at bay when we are working professionals. Well, that line has been diminished by Covid.

Why Mentors Need to Adapt Post-Pandemic Model

Mentoring has the potential to help even during a time of crisis. What could be more stressful than living through a pandemic that forced everyone to isolate and stay home 24/7?

Research regarding mentoring at the time of the global pandemic is still premature. Nevertheless, some evidence and studies hint that mentorship can be beneficial during such crises. For instance, research shows the potential of helping youth through mentorship whose parents are incarcerated. Similarly, another study from 2016 points out the benefits of mentoring in the transition of youth to educational institutions after being in juvenile confinement.

Since most of the workforce is young and more are joining, as we discuss, it is imperative that mentors are capable of dealing with their issues. No one can deny the constant need for upgrading strategies, but it became even more imperious after Covid.

The proliferation of digital media gave way to tech-based mentorship or E-mentorship, and it has been on the rise ever since. Given the situation now that the workforce is remote, the need to learn about reaching out to them digitally has magnified.

Mentors and leaders who want to stay relevant and be the source of betterment for others should try harder than ever to adapt. These changes are permanent; digitalisation is not a fad that we will get over with; instead, it has become a lifestyle.

The major roles of mentors they need to perform through digital means are:

• Maintaining employee relationships
• Push for career growth
• Build trust during stressful post-pandemic times

Maintaining Employee Relationships

Even when times are the best and everything seems to be thriving, there are organisations that falter in managing relationships between the workforce and managers. Having good relationships among employees and employers is considered crucial to any venture’s success.

Even when both parties are not physically present under one roof, they are still working together. By investing in digital mentorship, companies have so much to gain. It will instigate a sense of being in a team and belonging to the recruits, and they will, in return, perform more enthusiastically.

Push for Career Growth

The pandemic had a jarring impact across all industries, and it has tricked several individuals into thinking their career is stagnant. Advancement, creativity, and innovation seem hard to come by when you’re forced to leave the work environment that you are settled in.

As a result, it weakens the connections with leadership. Both parties face difficulties when it comes to learning new skills, practising those skills, and integrating innovations into already followed work protocols. It only highlights the fact further; lack of mentorship affects the pipeline of talent within the company, consequently affecting productivity and profits.

However, this can still be achieved with digital mentorship programs. You will be able to learn about career aspirations from the team and work on those lines to provide satisfied positions in the future for employees. Real mentors are able to push professionals in the right direction for career growth.

Build Trust During Stressful Post-Pandemic Times

The trying times we all faced in the epidemic and afterwards show how difficult it is to maintain trust as a society. We have witnessed how people lost faith in the institutions they have been following since forever, especially health and federal establishments. Frankly, we can’t blame society for behaving the way it did because the uncertainty got the best of everyone.

Similarly, the changes businesses were undergoing around the world were rapid. the messaging from the leadership couldn’t be clear due to them being uncertain as well. It was no one’s fault, but it sure affected all.

Loose ends in the messages became a source for losing organisational connections. However, leveraging mentorship through digital channels can save trouble. It will serve as a streamlined method to stay connected.

Conclusion

When we were in the pandemic, it was scary, but the frustration seemed to only grow post-Covid. The irritation of not being able to perform tasks that we are supposed to do regularly didn’t just vanish into thin air. On top of it all, the burden of working from home only added stress.

Though it seems tough but with proper mentorship, rapid changes and uncertainty can be leveraged as a tool for improvement. A digital mentorship can cultivate progress by working as a crash course for development and adapting to frequent workplace changes.

Neglecting the need for mentorship in these testing times will make individual talent peril. When the workforce starts to slack, industry after industry will fall down. So, let’s not wait and watch all the industrial revolution and efforts to reach here go to waste. Invest in mentorship now to build a stronger generation.

Author Bio

Javeria Siddiqui is an avid reader and a passionate writer. She writes for The Inspiring Lines nowadays. The writer joined forces with this website leaving behind the life of an Assistant Manager. Her responsibilities hindered her writing, so she chose her happiness and keyboard over a managerial position. Writing about new trends and happenings around the world gives her a much-needed energy boost. She is an animal lover but takes the most pride in being an empath.