As we close out National Mentoring Month, V2ers are reflecting on how mentorship has evolved over the past year. When our offices moved into our living rooms and we dealt with the effects of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, V2 made a concerted effort to ensure all employees – especially the many new ones we’ve hired over the past twelve months – continued to feel supported. This meant rethinking the way we mentor.
V2 has always had strong mentorship programs in place. From the day an employee joins our team, they are paired with a senior-level mentor who is there to help them set short and long-term career and skills goals. We also have a buddy program, which pairs new hires – especially those for whom V2 is their first job – with an employee that has recently held their role. The goal of this program goes beyond the traditional mentorship relationship, focusing on helping the new hire acclimate to an office environment, navigate the working world and learn many of the “soft skills” that are necessary in our industry.
When we moved to a remote working model, these programs became more important than ever. Losing the ability to meet in-person was significant, so we at V2 worked hard to ensure mentors and mentees had the support needed to continue fostering and growing these relationships, especially as we all navigated the “new normal.” This meant many of our conversations shifted – rather than focusing on career growth and honing new skills, our conversations broadened to focus on how to create a work/life balance and deal with balancing the stress of the pandemic with the daily demands of work.
These conversations have been critical to V2’s strength throughout the pandemic and are indicative of a culture that has been embedded in the organization since day one. At V2, you are not just an employee, you are a person, and supporting the whole person is a top priority here. This has been especially true for our new hires, who are figuring out the world of work without having the benefit of connecting with their coworkers in person. By focusing on empowering employees to navigate the new world of work in a way tailored to their needs, V2ers have continued to deliver the top-notch work we’re known for throughout a disruptive and transformative year.