quote:

Originally posted by KaliKo:
BEWARE WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR! If by "Buddy System" you mean having a "buddy" show a new employee around the workplace - i.e., where the coffee is, where the supplies are kept, where different offices are located, where the restrooms are, how to operate the fax machine, who's who around the company, and some other really mundane things, then go ahead with your buddy program. However, if you expect anything to be LEARNED or TRAINED by the buddy, DO NOT implement a Buddy System. Buddy systems have a very bad reputation in the TRAINING world - if training is what you're after. Buddy systems that claim to "train" do nothing more than show new employees all the bad habits that the buddy picked up by watching another "buddy" do the same thing. That's why training professionals refer to it as the "degenerating buddy system." Pretty soon, you have a staff of incompetents - and that ain't pretty!

quote:

Originally posted by Donna Lucas:
We had the protegee pick the mentor. We offered a training program for anyone that was interested in participating in the program. However, before the protegee chose a mentor they reviewed several mentor profiles to determine an appropriate "fit". In addition, I was in charge of the program so the protegee and I met to discuss his/her needs. Because I knew the mentor's strengths, I could recommend other mentors that could work for the protegee.