Chapter 4: Mentoring in a Multi-Generational, Multi-Cultural Environment

In Canada, mentoring typically happens between an older, more exterienced mentor and a younger, less experienced mentee. However, in terms of skill competence, experience and not age is the key factor in a mentoring relationship. Younger employees may have experience in emerging areas such as technology that they can share with older employees who have not grown up using technology to the same extent.

The workforce now contains individuals from four different generations, each with it's own characteristics, as well as work and learning styles.  These generations are:

Veterans: born before 1946:over 60

Boomers: born 1946 - 1960: 40's and up

Gen X: 1961 - 1979: 30's - 40's

Gen Y: 1980 and beyond: under 30

Each generation has workplace strengths and weaknesses, some of which are not completely understood by the other generations.

Employees new to a workplace are usually very appreciative of someone who helps them quickly learn the workplace culture. The cultures of workplaces can be very different:  some may be casual, others formal; some may be flat; other hierarchical; some may be policy and procedure-oriented, others less-so. It can take a while for a new employee to know the ropes.

If the new employee is an immigrant, the workplace culture issues may be compounded by other cultural understandings related to the workplace that are rooted in the individual's country of origin. Not knowing about communication and behavioural expectations in the workplace can lead to great misunderstanding. Click here to read some interesting short stories about adapting to workplace culture from immigrants to Canada