Most workers who replied to a query don’t report having a mentor at work. While the data suggests that entry-level employees are still often getting the guidance one might expect, it seems that workers of other experience levels either don’t seek or aren’t provided with any help to continue their professional development.
This information comes from the latest reading of an ongoing study by Comparably. Over 10,000 employees responded to the question.
More women than men claim a mentor. Both sexes answered the query positively only about one-third of the time. It’s unclear what the disparity between sexes is owed to.
Looked at in terms of minorities, all hover around the similar one-third mark. Hispanic/Latinos were the most positive (33%) about having a work mentor, with Asian/Pacific Islanders quoting the lowest number of any group except Caucasians.
Nearly 40% of respondents from the Legal department said they had a mentor. This may be a feature of the legal profession, but that number is still notably higher than the average answer. Executive and Finance departments (both at 37%) were close behind. Engineering (28%), Admin (27%) and IT (26%) brought up the rear in the poll.
In terms of experience level, the need for mentoring apparently declines with years at work. This makes some practical sense, but it also raises the question of whether guidance is needed for other stages of a career as one presumably proceeds through the ranks.
Latest reading is as of March 6th
