Effect of reverse mentoring on traditional mentoring functions

Abstract

With members of Generations X and Y coming to the forefront in the workforce and the progress in technology, reverse mentoring, in which junior employees guide their seniors, has been implemented in multinational corporations such as IBM. This study explored the effect of reverse mentoring on traditional-mentoring functions given the professional characteristics of people in Generations X and Y. Fourteen participants, who worked in various high-tech companies and practiced reverse mentoring, were divided into seven pairs and interviewed. The findings showed that people from Generations X and Y generally had advanced skills in information technology, motivation to learn and abundant resources for learning, innovative thinking and ambition, a sense of teamwork, and collaboration and coordination skills. They also influenced each other in a positive way to enhance learning outcomes. The study further showed that the three traditional-mentoring functions largely remained in reverse mentoring. This study concludes that with assistance from the human resources department, reverse mentoring should be systematized to help alleviate difficulties in managing different generations within an organization. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.