“Our mentors gain the drive to do more” – Rogers Communications on reaching 100 matches

Rogers is one of two employer partners to receive an award for providing mentors to more than 100 newcomers in 2018. Sharon Hinds, Rogers Mosaic Project Lead of TRIEC Mentoring Partnership at Rogers, talks about what being a partner in the program means to the organization.

1. Why did Rogers decide to become an employer partner in TRIEC Mentoring Partnership?A previous Rogers Mosaic member who was a mentor from another company, introduced us to TRIEC Mentoring Partnership and this became our conduit for bringing it into the organization.

2. What do Rogers’ employees gain from being mentors?Our mentors gain many things: enhanced leadership and coaching skills, cross-cultural communication skills, a better understanding of the skills and experience that immigrants bring to our region, and they become more aware of current job market and industry trends. They also gain opportunities to participate in professional development sessions, not to mention a personal sense of satisfaction from knowing that they’ve helped newcomers integrate into the Canadian fabric.

   Finally, many mentors gain the drive to do more – for example, Stephen Haynes (Rogers Mosaic Executive Sponsor) became a TRIEC board member in July 2018.

3. Do you think mentoring is an effective way of helping newcomers find their first job in Canada?Mentoring is dynamic and customizable. As a new immigrant, you can face uncountable challenges – either in the workplace or at home – to adapt socio-economic changes or cultural barriers.   A mentor provides current and tangible input and feedback beyond what’s happening in their industry, focusing on the intrinsic challenges as well as helping the mentee manage work/life decisions.

4. What value do you think highly skilled immigrant employees bring to Rogers’ business?Local Markets Demographics in our communities are constantly shifting — bringing a demand for new products and services. A diverse workplace is more responsive to the needs of the consumer.  Highly skilled immigrants bring a great diversity in their education, training, skills and life experience. These employees bring fresh perspectives and diverse points of view, allowing our business to better connect with customers.

5. The theme of this year’s event is the Future of Mentoring. How do you think mentoring has changed since you became a partner, and how will it change in future?The concept of mentoring has changed dramatically, particularly as the job environment has changed.   There has been much more external news around immigration over the past few years (not always positive) and how people adjust culturally and socially is becoming more important. As such, mentorship goes beyond when a mentee gets a job.

   A 2010 Catalyst study revealed that more women than men have been assigned mentors yet 15% more men won promotions. Why? The findings indicate that mentorship did not lead to advancement but having a senior mentor in a position to provide sponsorship did.

   The future of mentoring will focus more on sponsoring.  A sponsor will take a vested interest in their mentee’s growth. I can speak from experience as an existing TRIEC mentor….my focus shifted to sponsorship for my most recent mentee who was highly skilled in the field of Sales within the Broadcast industry. He now works for the Rogers Media Television Sales team.

7. What advice would you give to employer partners who are striving reaching their first 100 matches?Engage The TRIEC Mentoring Partnership team! They can provide on-site call to action mentorship sessions and support you with their expertise and training tools.
8. What did Rogers do to reach this target in terms of mentoring cycles, and what tactics did you use to promote the program to your employees?The Rogers Mosaic Committee revitalized TRIEC Mentoring Partnership in the organization by:
   • Assigning a Champion to lead the charge to recruit new mentors from not only her Business unit (Media) but other Rogers’s business units as well
   • Engaging our HR partners as we saw this as an area of interest for the Recruiting & Talent management teams.

9. What are Rogers’ plans for getting to your next 100 matches?
   • Engage the TRIEC team to set up future on-site sessions at our other Rogers Business locations and continue this journey to connect with more new highly skilled immigrants through the program.
   • Collaborate with our internal Inclusion and Diversity ERGs and HR Partners to provide cross-promotional sessions to reach all areas of the business, which will result in a diversified cross-section of new Mentors.