Benefits of mentoring to Australian early career women managers and professionals

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine potential benefits from a mentor relationship to women managers and professionals in early career. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 98 women business school graduates using an anonymously completed questionnaire. Respondents identified a more senior individual who had a positive influence in the development of their career, provided descriptive characteristics of this relationship and described its character. Three mentor functions were considered: role model, career development and psychosocial. Findings There were few differences as a function of the gender of the mentor though respondents having female mentors indicated more role modeling and tended to report more psychosocial functions. Respondents reporting more mentor functions also indicated higher levels of job and career satisfaction, more optimistic future career prospects and fewer psychosomatic symptoms. Originality/value Adds to the understanding of mentoring by including psychological well‐being variables as potential mentoring outcomes.