Reps Mentorship Program - Survey results

Hello amazing reps,

Thanks to all that answered the survey on mentorship!

Here I summarize the answers we got from the survey and illustrate some conclusions. Unfortunately we only got 14 answers, but I think those are enough to underline some common issues and start to work towards some solutions.

Overall conclusions:

  • Frequency of meetings and areas of need vary significantly between reps

  • There might need for clearer guidelines to define when a mentor is inactive.

  • Mentors are asking for clearer guidelines for mentors activities and frequency of meeting, as well as meeting with other mentors.

  • The main problem for mentors seems to be loss of contact with mentees or mentees that do not need help, but lack of time was also mentioned. Few mentees told us that they did not need help. There might be a difficulty in communication and defining needs (however few mentors answered, so it was difficult to reach conclusions on this)

The answer to the survey questions are summarized in the following sections:

  • What kind of role should mentors have:

From the answer of both mentors and mentees emerged that mentors should be able to support their mentees in a wide range of ways. The most important: to help their mentees to front difficult situations, to guide new reps and to help reps understand the program, as well as helping reps stay active and help them to plan their activities.

However, it also emerged that the help that each rep receive from their mentor is usually focused in some specific areas.

The frequency of meetings desired also varied quite significantly (from none or once a year, to every month).

This might indicate that a mentor needs to know the way to find help in wide range of areas. However, it might not be useful to define the interaction between mentors and mentees by strictly defining areas of interactions and numbers of meeting, It would be better to find out what each mentee need, to focus their interaction with their mentors on those specific areas.

  • Do long-time reps need a mentor:

There was an assumption that old-time mentees do not need their mentors help. This seems to depend on the person.

None of the respondents that were in the program for less than 5 years, and half of those that have been in the program for more than 5 years said that they did not need any help at all from their mentors.

  • Inactive mentors:

Reps were asked to define an inactive mentor. An inactive mentor was mainly defined as someone that do not answer to messages, or event as a person that ceases all contacts. It seems that a mentor that do not regularly get in touch with their mentees is not necessarily considered inactive by the majority of respondents

  • What support is needed for mentors:

Only four mentors answered, so that is difficult to reach conclusions. However, from the majority of answers received, it seems that support is needed: clear guidelines and mentor’s meetings seems to be a priority.

The main problem for mentors seems to be loss of contact with mentees or mentees that do not need help. The mentors having little time for the mentees (due to having too many mentees or little time) was also mentioned (but less frequently).

What do you think?

Obviously these are only general conclusion, but I hope they will help to define some steps to help front these problems. Please add here what you think of these answers, or if you would interpret them differently. If you have in mind any solutions to front these problems, please also add your ideas here.

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Thanks for sharing the results!

thanks for sharing results, this information will help to improve the program.