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Much research in the education, business and more recently health care sectors has shown that formal programs linking new or novice staff with experienced staff in a one-to-one relationship are powerful recruitment and retention tools. The resources required to develop and maintain such programs are minimal in comparison to the benefits to novice workers, mentors and organizations. Fledgling workers quickly learn the ropes of their jobs and are socialized into the culture, expectations and values of the organization through the relationship with their mentors. Additionally, they gain confidence, job satisfaction and skill competence and are quickly integrated into their work teams.
Mentors also benefit; the opportunity to nurture less experienced clinicians can renew the mentors’ passion for their work by facilitating leadership growth, reflective practice and updating of clinical skills.
With the introduction of program management models and the trend toward budget constraints and staff shortages, new health care staff are often given a few days of orientation then left to fend for themselves in environments where there may be little peer support available. Evidence shows that employers who offer mentor, coach or preceptor programs to new staff are more successful in attracting and retaining potential new recruits, particularly new graduates. Recruitment and retention costs health care organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Introducing a simple mentor or preceptor program may be all it takes to have a significant impact on this problem.