A perspective on effective mentoring in the construction industry

Abstract

Purpose

The present study aims to provide a perspective on effective mentoring in the construction industry by examining key mentor characteristics as perceived by construction professionals.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 170 union construction workers rated 55 mentor characteristics based on to what extent each was characteristic of a superior, average, or poor mentor.

Findings

To identify the most important mentor characteristics, three criteria were relied on: means of characteristic ratings of a superior mentor; effect sizes of mean differences between ratings of poor and superior mentors; and correlations between characteristic ratings of superior mentors and satisfaction with mentors. Significant mean differences were found between characteristics of poor and average mentors as well as between poor and superior mentors.

Research limitations/implications

Possible future directions include an investigation of the relationship between competent mentors and personal characteristics, and potential health and safety outcomes resulting from effective mentoring in the construction industry.

Originality/value

Although mentoring has been the focus of much research, the mentoring relationship is quite different in the construction industry and little mentoring research has targeted this industry. To develop an effective mentoring program in this industry, one of the initial steps is to identify characteristics of effective mentors in this industry.

Citation

Hoffmeister, K., Cigularov, K.P., Sampson, J., Rosecrance, J.C. and Chen, P.Y. (2011), "A perspective on effective mentoring in the construction industry", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 32 No. 7, pp. 673-688. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437731111169997