• It is important to determine what purpose the results of the measurement of the program will have from the outset. The potential outcomes give a guide to how measurement and evaluation of the mentoring relationship should take place.
• Examples of the purpose of measurement are to:
  • Determine any problems in the mentoring pairs?
  • Assist in determining future participants in the program.
  • Demonstrate to management that the investment is having an effect on particular business goals in the organisation.
• There are four levels of evaluation:
  • Mentee’s and Mentor’s evaluation
  • Supervisor’s evaluation
  • Peers/colleagues evaluation
  • Organisational evaluation.

The first step in measurement is to establish benchmarks before the program begins. For example:

• How do people feel about their potential to progress in the organisation?
• How much do they know about the organisation?
• What are the current retention rates for women?

The measurement criteria should be directly linked to the objectives of the program. Short, medium and long term criteria should be established.

Short term measurements could include:

• Whether training has had an impact on their understanding of the objectives their role and on their confidence to progress with the relationship.
• Developmental outcomes such as feelings of satisfaction at work of both the mentor and mentee, improvement by the mentor in specific abilities, better understanding of the organisation.

Medium to long term measurements can focus on business value to the organisation by measuring changes in informal mentoring, changes in attitudes towards cross-gender mentoring, increased numbers of women in senior positions, changes in attitudes of senior management towards the need for women in management positions, and the strategies needed to achieve gender equity in management positions.

When evaluating a mentoring relationship you should seek to answer the following questions:

• Do the mentor and mentee understand the purpose of their mentoring relationship?
• Do the mentor and mentee have clear and achievable objectives?
• Is the mentee confident about raising issues for discussion?
• Is the mentor able to give honest feedback?
• Are there mutual expectations between the mentor and mentee and are these fulfilled?
• Is there a mentoring agreement?
• Are there regular purposeful meetings?
• Is there a sense of continuing progress and development?
• Should the relationship continue?
• Do others notice a positive change in the mentee and mentor?

For more information please see Methods of Evaluation.