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Mentoring is a dynamic aspect of our daily lives. It is a partnership between a more experienced person (mentor) and a less experienced protégé (mentee). Definitions also revolutionize as time passes but the key element that describes and separates mentoring interaction from other forms of association is that it is an evolution of partnership rooted in the scope of careers toward improvement. (Ragins et.al. 2007). According to Ellinger (2019), studies conclude that mentoring outcomes are career growth and advancement, higher salary, job fulfillment, and deduction of employee turnover.
Food bakery businesses mushroom everywhere with the current trend in the food industry. The Food Report of 2019- Bread and bakery Products states that “The bread and bakery segment constitutes around 12% off, or one in eight US$ earned in the global Food market. The absolute revenue is forecasted to increase to US$545 billion in retail value by 2023”. The food industry is becoming one of the rising industries not only locally but also on the international scene. With this in mind, more and more bakeries intend to upgrade their shops thus hiring bakers with various backgrounds.
In a bakery, there are set standards, policies, and procedures to protect and maintain the production of quality goods. For that reason, new members need to undergo training and mentorship from experienced bakers.
The Sweet Shop Bakery has been operating for two decades and started with bread and pastry. Over the last years, the company expands to baking specialty and personalized cakes for the public. The increase in demand prompts the management to employ five more bakers with cake decorating backgrounds to cater to demands and make use of the newly refurbished kitchen. The hired personnel are certificate achievers with a year of on-the-job training. The most seasoned baker is assigned by the coordinator to mentor the group with the guidance of other staff.
The need to educate novice staff and transmit the knowledge from the mentors to be able to meet competitiveness and respond to market opportunities are the main purpose of the mentoring program in a bakery or any food sector. Most industries seek employees with qualifications as experienced bakers, which mainly are knowledgeable of the basic skills of a baker or pastry cook. In saying that, a mentoring program for an entrant will cover baking and decorating cakes and bread in line with the company’s quality of products within the specified timeframe. The precise quantity and quality such as taste and look should be met. The mentee will be able to deliver services confidently at the end of the mentoring course. In addition, the development of problem-solving skills whilst making goods is also a projected outcome. The mentor, on the other hand, is a senior baker who is in the service for a decade. A chef also supports and guides the participants along with the coordinator. The veteran baker is familiar with both the specific and unspoken workplace system of the business. A beginner may have confused by some of these rules because they are unwritten and special to an organization, and varies from one institution to another (Sutton 2011).
The resources involved in the mentoring program are already set up within the bakery. Since an expansion of the company added a kitchen with modern facilities such as ovens good to bake twenty cake layers at a time, ten mixers of different sizes, a wide table located at the center of the room enough to fit a couple of products and baking materials are arranged around the room. Essential ingredients are stocked up like flour, sugar, dairy, flavorings, leaveners, fats, spices, and decorating products. The company has allotted a percent of its expenditures to cater to the program which may include more sessions if it succeeds. Moreover, the company also invests in future training for the old staff so as to conform to the ever-changing industry needs and as part of becoming mentors, human or emotional resources for the protégés in the future. The Mentoring Capability Framework (2019) affirms that mentors also offer psychological and intellectual support to address the current and future stresses of the mentees.
It is essential to design how the program is to be measured and evaluated from the start to finish. Evaluation will involve a quality test of the production of goods during the session and timeframe which impact future output and revenue of the bakery. There will also be clientele satisfaction as the demands are targeted on time. In this modern society, positive feedbacks through social media encourage more customers and profit for the company.
The necessity to design a mentoring program for a new baker in a known company enables him/her to be aware of the in and outs of the institution. Also, the quality of the cakes and bread will be maintained under the guidance of the mentor.
More than one mentee method enables the company the chance to expand its mentoring activities and get in touch with more people in a time-efficient manner (thebalancecom 2019). Formal mentoring is beneficial to this program because according to research, it supports the psychological aspects of the mentee, which enhances socialization. This further creates a stronger commitment to the organization leading to retention. Moreover, it also shows effectiveness in meeting an organization’s defined goals (Ragins & Kram 2007).
The definition of the roles and responsibilities of the mentor and the mentee is necessary especially for a formal mentoring program. The mentor should: (a) Focus on the mentorship to avoid bumping the meeting out of the agenda with other commitments. The center of attention is the task of baking and decorating cakes. (b) Communicate actively to the learner and observe verbal and nonverbal cues. (c) Share mistakes, setbacks, and lessons because it encourages the mentee to relate to the past experience and improve. (d) Manage conflicts such as machine malfunctioning or personnel conflict. (Module 1: Roles and responsibilities of mentors and mentees 2019)
The mentee on the other hand should: (a) Enable the mentor to set the pace of the partnership at least at the beginning such as the timeline and content of activities even if knowledgeable. (b) Pay attention to the incentives, and restrictions, provided and uphold courtesy and respect because mentors know the in and outs of the company and knowhow of certain practices. (c) Be an active listener and discuss when appropriate and take notes, especially recipes and procedures.
The coordinator is important in this mentoring program because he or she is responsible for overlooking the session such as arranging the schedules of the mentor against the roster or the timing of the session on days or shifts that are not busy for the bakery. The coordinator also gives feedback to the managers on the efficiency of the set materials and equipment. Milestones are seen by the coordinator such as the competitiveness of a candidate to be able to work independently in the bakery.
A pilot scheme will assist in evaluating the interests of the audiences. Nonetheless, it is desirable to include important benchmarks and touchpoints to ensure that the partnership completes smoothly. It is ideal to do a dry run for a day to ensure the workability of the plan and the equipment. (How to Start a Mentoring Program 2015)
The implementation phase means running the mentoring program. This phase starts with profiling the participants: the mentor and mentee. The mentor qualities are: (1) Mentors are keen to cultivate the self. In the baking industry, the mentor is open to new ideas, especially from mentees with diverse backgrounds. (2) Mentors are skilled listeners. They are approachable hence mentees are not hesitant to raise inquiries whenever uncertain about the process or operation of equipment. (3) Mentors nurture those they mentor. They foster the skills of baking and knowledge that are cultured from them and enhance the mentee’s future well-being as a professional baker or chef (Murphy 2015). The mentee's profile should include (1) Keen to learn and curious about processes to meet the institution’s goals which include conforming to established policies and rules in cake baking and decorating. (2) Enthusiastic to become a team participant. He or she is willing to work with each and every department of the bakery to achieve positive outcomes such as the front of the house and management. (3) Respectful to the mentor and colleagues taking into consideration gender and cultural background (Mentee Roles and Responsibilities).
Informing the participants such as the mentee should be an obligatory part of the entry to the company. The details of the mentoring program are included in their electronic mail of the company’s acknowledgment as hired personnel. The date, location, requirements, and attire for the session should all be written in the mail. Moreover, the mentors are instructed by the coordinator and management through team meetings.
The mentor training is to refresh and enhance skills and baking information to confidently apply and demonstrate to the learners. In addition, social skills and communication should also be given emphasis to enable transmit knowledge with ease and create a positive bond to develop not only baking but life capabilities.
The importance of orientation to a mentoring program for the mentee will allow a clear-cut definition of duties and obligations to reduce the likelihood of ambivalence (How to Build A Successful Mentoring Program Using the Elements of Effective Practice 2005). Induction to the mentoring program means the first interaction and touches the base of matching the mentor and the mentee. Many researchers claim that matching may or may not create misunderstanding therefore, matching is never ending process giving an opportunity to the participants to feedback and as much as possible able to settle differences to accomplish the common goal of the company.
The mentoring relationship commences and undergoes different phases. The preparation facilitates recognition of the expectations of the mentor and mentee. For example, smooth interaction and workability together and in the end independence in the occupation will be established. Negotiating is a discussion of the when what and how of attaining the purpose of the session among the members. The longest phase, enabling, is the ongoing development of skills and attainment of expectations. The demonstrations of practical and necessary skills are shown. The closure is the last phase which is the occasion to evaluate the processes of the partnership (Lecture notes)
The program’s vital accomplishments rely on how well one can examine the efficacy, tackle any vulnerabilities, and illustrate that it meets the set targets and aims. Evaluations reflect the determination of effective practices, decrease occurrences of mistakes, and improve the overall growth of the business (How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program Using the Elements of Effective Practice 2005).
Kirkpatrick’s model for Summative Evaluation includes the first level as the mentee’s reaction which is evaluated through oral feedback or written surveys. The learning result is assessed through the return demonstration of the mentee and also the quality of the baked products. The third level which is behavior in the workplace will eventually be observed in the following months to notice the effects of the mentoring program. And lastly, the business impact is reflected by the overall positive impact of the bakery’s numbers production, and profits after the performance of the personnel who undergo the mentoring program.
The assessment of methods, resources, and process of learning is also important in this stage taking into consideration the effectiveness of finances, methods, and appropriateness of the program to the participants. Furthermore, at the end of every session, the provision of collective suggestions and improvements to further develop the mentoring program not only in the bakery business setting but in every situation as it becomes necessary.
Various research has shown how effective a mentoring program is in any aspect of daily living. However, each study also suggests further and more understanding and research regarding this matter. It is a dynamic and ever-changing activity that progresses and improves over time.
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