This document discusses mentoring and job shadowing programs in the hotel industry. It defines mentoring as a relationship where an experienced employee serves as a counselor and teacher to a new employee, guiding them and helping them learn tasks. A mentor is a wise counselor who can help guide a new employee. While mentoring is sometimes informal, formal programs through structured relationships between mentors and protégés can help new employees integrate more effectively and develop leadership skills. The goal of mentoring is to help less experienced employees grow under the guidance of more experienced mentors who impart knowledge and skills.

1. Mentoring and Job Shadowing – Part I
What is mentoring or job shadowing? Mentoring may simply be defined as:
to serve as a trusted counselor or teacher to (another person) especially in
occupational settings where a new employee at the workplace, along with an
old employee observes and learns about various tasks associated with an
occupation. OR
a professional who works closely with another person, instructing, guiding
and motivating him or her in consultation with the Human Resources /
Training Cell or even a designated Mentoring Programme Coordinator.
Who is a mentor?
A wise and trusted counselor or teacher. In the context of a company an
existing positive employee who will be able to guide a new employee.
Organizations may refer to Mentoring as Job Shadowing, Buddy System and some
also as Twinning. Whatever the terminology, the education that stresses on hands-on
training and experience at the point of an employee joining the organization or
introducing new systems through use of mentors as opposed to the traditional
classroom learning, yields better results and understanding of employees. In doing so
the mentors and the employees form a bond wherein the mentor takes and feels
responsible for the new employee and will do his best since he would have a feeling
of ownership towards the new employee as well as the organization.
With the tremendous growth of the lodging industry over the past few decades, the
industry’s ability to cope with the diversified requirement of competent staff at each
level has been severely overwrought. The educational facilities currently available do
not suffice or contribute to entry-level positions more so at management levels in the
industry.
The most significant source of future leaders is the line level employees. This means
that all class room (formal) Hotel training programs and craft level (on the job
training) should be focused to developing people with leadership, technical and
managerial skills that will contribute to the growth and success of the individual as
well as the organization.

2. Mentor and protégé relationships generally occur on an informal basis in the hotel
industry. Informal mentoring in hotels is seen to an extent but formal programs can
accomplish much more. A typical example would be a General Manager who
generally takes on a junior manager under him to groom for higher responsibilities.
As a matter of fact all managers informally identify an employee and train him to
officiate in his absence.
The traditional mentoring relationship is based on an unspoken agreement and is
subject to the availability and good will of the senior employee. However, the
structured system deals with an appointed mentor for every new employee joining the
organization.
A structured mentoring program clearly defines the mentoring relationship by
ensuring that the mentor, protégé, and organization all clearly understand what to
expect and what is expected of them – the goals are defined. Organizations must
realize that all new employees need some support and nurturing at entry level.
In the Indian context one can also refer to our age-old system of guru - shishya
(disciple) where the shishya follows his guru and relies on him for guidance.
The Goal of Mentoring
Mentoring, in its traditional or structured form, aims to developing the junior person
who is less experienced or maybe in certain context not familiar with the organization
culture to grow and develop under the guidance of the senior person who is essentially
the mentor.
The roles that the mentor may play are those of the teacher, supporter, coach, guide
wherein knowledge about the organization and knowledge and skills required to
perform the job is imparted. The mentor will help him further to build confidence and
settle in the organization.
A few basic questions that need to be answered by organizations before
introducing a mentoring program.
• Can your organization identify employees to play the role of a mentor?
• Can your organization provide growth to employees? The reason being, that
such a programme also provides an insight to the growth prospects within the
company.
• Does your organization represent an expanding chain of hotels where there is a
continuous need for upper level executives/managers, or does your
organization represent a single hotel dealing with attrition-related human
resource needs? If this were an occasional happening, then a structured
mentoring program would prove to be expensive.

3. • Does your hotel culture value the old employee or does it prefer to hire "new
blood" from outside the organization? Developing and providing growth from
within the organization takes time, resources, and long-term commitment from
upper management. Their commitment and support remains fundamental to
the success of the program.
• Does your organization have enough suitable employees available to pair with
protégés? Mentors should be at least two position levels above the protégé (to
prevent mentors from feeling threatened by their protégés), competent,
confident, respected, secure in their jobs, and possess excellent interpersonal
skills. Along with the ability to perform the job, they should also have the
willingness to volunteer for the job and execute the same in the manner
expected by the organization.
Mentoring is not a magic potion; however, given the right conditions and support, its
organizational benefits can be enormous.
Good mentoring programs attract the best candidates for a job, reduce turnover of
talented people, help people achieve their optimum potential and productivity, assure
a smooth transfer of leadership, encourage free flow of communication both ways
within the organization and help people rise above their levels of competency.
Part II will detail the implementation of a Mentoring and Job Shadowing program.