Workplace mentorship, sponsorship is good for business – it’s time to reimagine the model

By Christine Morris and Julie Cafley

We know mentorship drives career growth.

Fortune 500 companies know this, too. That’s why 84 per cent of them have some form of mentoring program, according to a 2022 study. And while these programs exist, most mentoring relationships still occur organically.

Yet recent research reminds us that informal mentoring “can risk perpetuating existing barriers to career advancement for underrepresented groups” as mentors gravitate toward mentees who look or feel similar to them, a phenomenon known as affinity bias. More than three-quarters of executive mentors say they mentor someone who looks like them, which reinforces that fact – and signals that we need a new model.

In a hybrid working world, it’s time to take a fresh approach to mentorship.

Hybrid working requires us to connect more intentionally, creating a chance to build more equity into mentorship. Mentors and mentees can reside on opposite sides of the country. And that’s not a bad thing. In our hybrid working world, we’ve all seen that there tend to be fewer hallway conversations and opportunities to hold regular in-person meetings.  

Proactive, carefully planned mentorship programs are critical in a hybrid working world. Leaders of organizations with a hybrid working model must continue to drive, identify and support talent across their entire workforce, supplanting the informal arrangements that are vulnerable to affinity bias.

Bringing mentors and mentees together through structured programs that use hybrid working models can unlock Canada’s full workforce potential while doubling down on creating more inclusive workplaces.

Another critical consideration is emphasizing sponsorship alongside mentorship. Women are under-sponsored in the workplace, so while we’re reimagining mentoring in a hybrid setting, we must prioritize sponsorship equally. Sponsorship more effectively moves the needle for women’s advancement. Men should actively mentor and sponsor women to intentionally mitigate affinity bias.

So, what does it mean to do mentoring and sponsorship right in a hybrid working world?

Across industries, companies have been experimenting with different models and partnerships to accelerate and evolve programs that meet the new work model – from one-to-one traditional arrangements to group circles, virtual networking sessions with breakout rooms, peer and reverse mentoring, and speed mentoring.

Each has its strengths. In a hybrid work world, peer mentoring helps new employees settle into a company culture without being in the office and creates social bonds. The one-to-one connection between senior and junior levels is a proven sponsorship driver. And in a busy culture in which there seems to be more demand for than supply of mentors, group arrangements and circles make sense – with the benefit of adding a peer mentoring opportunity.

How can organizations capture the benefits of these various models? An innovative approach might look like this:

1. One-to-one matching with a mentor who is accountable for specific actions on behalf of their colleague (i.e. expanding their network, getting them visibility, opening up career opportunities, etc.). Pairs commit to six months of continuous mentoring, including one hour a month, either virtual or in-person
2. Group-based peer mentoring circles to build a strong community across top women leaders and underrepresented talent
3. Dedicated cross-business unit talent calibration to discuss and facilitate the movement of the mentees (lateral and upward)
4. Access to specific tools like online collaboration options and training to help with development and advancement
5. Curated networking sessions to allow each participant to mingle and get to know business unit executives, with each executive provided a bio book in advance containing information about mentees

And a critical element is a “what gets measured gets managed” approach, which tracks positive outcomes.

Companies with successful mentorship and sponsorship programs do more than dedicate time and resources. They also visibly support these programs at the highest levels of the organization.

By freeing mentoring from informal affinity biases (and geographic limits), we can better support a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce using these opportunities to supercharge the undeniable benefits of mentorship.

Christine Morris is Senior Executive Vice President, Transformation & Enablement, TD Bank Group, Chair of Women at TD and Advisory Board Member Catalyst Canada.

Julie Cafley, Ph.D., is Executive Director, Canada for Catalyst, a global non-profit that advances gender equity and workplace inclusion.