Mentoring System [人事3-人材育成･ｸﾞﾛｰﾊﾞﾙ人材・評価]
Mentoring System is not so popluar in Japan because there is an unofficial relationship between senior colleague and junior one, which the senior takes care of the junior.
This relationship exists in even school time. The senior ones support to solve the problem which is easy for the senior to find out the solution but very serious for the junior one. When the junior become senior, this relationship still continues. At this time, he/she gets the advice and feel safe for his company life.
In order to built this culture in foreign countries, it is advisable for the management to provide some opportunities where the employees in the different divisions can meet each other such as recreation activities or hobby/sports club activities in the company. There is a high chance that the above relationship will be bulit among the employees.
Of course, the offcial mentoring system can stimulate or expand this more. HR department should do the matching process for mentors and mentees. After that, they will do mentoring well without any HR support normally. The duration may be one or two years. It is nice that they can continue this relationship after completing the offcial assignment.
It is the ideal situation if the employee (who want to have a mentor) can have the mentor anytime. If possible, they can choose. HR department asks volunteers of mentor and open this list to employees ever year so that employees can choose one of them or HR asks the employees who want to have a mentor and do the matching.
Maybe after exercising the offcial mentoring system in a few years and mentors can understand this benefit for them too, we may be able to go to this ideal stage.