Top Company for Mentoring: Target
Accepting Award: Beth Jacob, Executive Vice President, Target Technology Services and Chief Information Officer
Reasons for Honor:
- Although Target is a major retailer with operations across the country, almost all of its employees participate in its formal mentoring program.
- The senior levels of the organization are mentors. Metrics are used to evaluate success.
- Managers are required to have mentoring relationships, and sponsorship is now also being required.
- Online tools are used to identify mentors, with cross-cultural, geographic and functional factors utilized. Anyone who doesn’t have a mentee must explain why as part of his or her talent review.
- Mentoring programs are intensified in areas where there is need, such as the distribution center and the technology area. Pairs usually last 12 months and relationships are reevaluated.
