Meaningful mentorship relationships have enriched my life since childhood, shaping my personal growth and professional journey immeasurably.
From my parents imparting life lessons to coaches perfecting my skills to colleagues guiding my career, I’ve been fortunate to receive guidance from many encouraging figures. I have always aimed to pay that wisdom forward by serving as a mentor myself. And in today’s workplace, mentoring is more vital than ever — with five generations now collaborating side-by-side.
This diversity, while enriching, also presents challenges in communication and collaboration. Yet, I believe intergenerational mentorship unlocks immense reciprocal value. With open and earnest relationships, we can facilitate tremendous growth for mentees and mentors alike.
The power of mentorship
Consider this: 76% of professionals find a mentor important, yet only 37% have one. Employees with mentors feel more valued at work, and three-quarters of executives credit their success to mentors.
For mentees, a good mentor can accelerate their professional and personal growth tremendously. Mentors provide guidance on navigating career paths, help build technical capabilities by sharing knowledge and expertise, and offer advice for dealing with obstacles. Having a trusted advisor can also promote faster skill development and give mentees an advocate who can speak on their behalf when opportunities arise.
For organizations, mentorship helps attract, retain, and develop top talent. Employees who feel invested in mentor relationships often feel a sense of loyalty to companies. Matching entry-level employees with experienced leaders facilitates knowledge transfer across generations of workers. This ensures critical institutional knowledge and relationships aren’t lost when older employees transition out.
Today, the top 50 Fortune 500 companies use mentoring as a strategy for engagement and retention – over nine in 10 Fortune 500 companies have formal mentorship programs. Yet, there are complexities in our current work landscape that must be addressed.
Why intergenerational mentorship matters more now
Sitting down in modern offices, we find a blend of five generations — veterans who represent long-tenured wisdom, passionate mid-career professionals, tech-savvy rising leaders, and optimistic young talents. Each plays a unique role in fueling organizational success through experiences shaped by global events, cultural shifts, and technological revolutions during their formative years.

How do you bridge that divide? How do you meet varied needs and preferences so that all can identify complementary strengths, find common ground around values, and establish mutual understanding? One answer is emerging mentorship formats.
Innovative mentoring to meet evolving needs
Innovation around mentorship formats helps ensure relevancy and flexibility to empower talent.
Reverse mentoring, for instance, turns the traditional model on its head, with younger employees guiding older colleagues in areas like digital media. Group mentoring and peer group mentoring are breaking the one-on-one mold, facilitating knowledge sharing in a more communal setting. And for those seeking focused, skill-specific guidance, flash mentoring offers a solution.
At M&T Bank, we utilize the Mutual Mentorship Program. Now in its sixth year, the program connects individuals across different generations by pairing iGEN members based on mutual topics. This enables a mutually beneficial relationship where both parties act as a mentor and a mentee for nine months. Through this program, two people from various roles, departments, and generations can share, learn, connect, and transfer wisdom.
The mission of the Mutual Mentorship Program is to support generational diversity by fostering a learning environment and a collaborative culture by pairing individuals as mutual mentors to exchange wisdom and experiences to empower personal and professional development.
These evolving formats reflect a dynamic approach to mentorship that adapts to a multigenerational workforce’s changing needs.
Cultivating impactful mentor connections
The beauty of intergenerational mentorship lies in its ability to blend institutional knowledge with fresh perspectives. Long-tenured employees offer a wealth of experience, while younger colleagues bring innovative approaches and technological fluency.
So, what’s the secret sauce to meaningful matches that yield mutual growth for both parties? I wish I knew. But here are a few best practices I’ve gathered through my mentoring journey:
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Let organic connections flourish. Rather than forcing formal assignments, allow natural affinities between mentors and mentees to bond. Pay attention to shared interests that kickstart deeper discussions.
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Establish understanding and build trust. Before diving into tangible career tactics, devote time upfront to share backgrounds, the challenges you’ve overcome, motivating values, and life visions. This vulnerability eliminates assumptions and aligns both parties around mutually understood goals while establishing trust.
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Cater to individual communication preferences. Everyone has unique preferences regarding communication methods, venues, and pacing. You can enhance effectiveness by tuning into these needs rather than relying on one standard approach. Depending on comfort, leverage video calls, text messaging, email, or in-person meetings.
I feel fortunate to have received guidance from many influential mentors and gain immense fulfillment in paying that support forward. Few professional opportunities are as rewarding as witnessing young mentees blossom into thriving, empowered talents. I urge others to follow suit and nurture rich connections across generations. The lessons you’ll learn about people, perspectives, and resilience will stay with you for life.
Belinda Cunningham is a Senior VP and Organizational Change Manager at M&T Bank and has served as a leader of the bank’s iGen Employee Group Mutual Mentorship Program.