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Survey reveals lack of staff development

80% of employees want mentoring in the workplace

The pressures of the economic downturn have led to a worrying shortage of mentoring in the workplace. According to a new survey by global recruitment consultancy Robert Walters, thousands of office staff felt that there was little or no mentoring and guidance where they worked. Most respondents believed they would benefit from formal mentoring schemes.

80% of those surveyed believe they would benefit from a formal mentoring programme, with 43% saying that guidance, recommendations and constructive feedback received from a mentor would be of most value.

Two thousand employees across the UK took part in the survey, including accountants, HR professionals, secretarial and support workers and lawyers - as many as two thirds of respondents said they had not been part of a formal mentoring programme.

66% of those working in banking had no formal mentoring. This is a particularly worrying trend for those who believe that senior staff need to pass on the harsh lessons learnt from the economic crisis.

Formal mentoring is a long established and highly effective way to support employee development. Unlike informal mentoring, formal mentoring is a structured process, where goals are set and evaluation of the employee an integral part.

Chris Hickey of Robert Walters London office, commented:
"It may be that senior staff are too busy to dedicate time to mentoring in this climate, with many people working longer hours than they were a year ago. In today's challenging job market, it is more important than ever for employees, new and existing, to receive the mentoring and training they need to perform well in the workplace."

For PR information please contact Caroline Watkin or telephone +44 (0) 207 379 3333. Alternatively contact Archie Berens or telephone +44 (0) 207 743 6679.