Business sector's increasing interest in mentorship programmes benefits women's empowerment
Date:
There is a consensus among the leading global companies that mentorship is one of the most effective instruments for supporting employee development and for enhancing their satisfaction, especially for women, whose chances for success and advancement significantly increase as a result of their engagement in mentorship programmes.
It has already been two years since UN Women began working to support the implementation of mentorship programmes within private companies in Georgia. After implementing a pilot project and developing a manual, the programme has been promoted continuously, and there are various initiatives planned with this purpose. One such initiative was a meeting held on 3 September for companies signatory to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). At the event, the HR professionals became familiar with the practical sides and techniques of mentorship, which will assist them in implementing the programme independently.
As Sergo Nozadze, President of the HR Professionals’ Association, pointed out, real and successful cases prove that mentoring is one of the best opportunities for companies: “I believe that they will be able to reduce their staff turnover through this programme. At the same time, employee engagement, motivation and loyalty to the company will increase. Female employees will feel that the management really cares for them and creates practical opportunities for their development. Our Association is ready to support the colleagues in the mentorship implementation process.”
Along with learning about the significance of mentorship, the meeting participants were instructed on the specific stages of programme development and implementation steps. Several companies have already expressed their interest in this initiative. Liberty Bank, which is a WEPs signatory, plans to introduce the mentorship programme together with UN Women. According to Nino Chikhladze, Head of the HR and Administration Department, mentoring will help their organization support the professional growth and development of its employees: “At the same time, the programme will contribute to the establishment of a sound and open environment, which will increase the number of motivated and productive employees who are engaged in company processes. The important thing is that mentoring will be another opportunity to support our female employees.”
Women’s empowerment through mentoring is part of the UN Women project “A Joint Action for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Georgia”, implemented with the generous financial support of the Government of Norway.