Company debuts mentor program

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Heads Up Landscape Contractors has debuted a year-long mentorship program for its employees, under the leadership of mentorship expert Jim Perrone. Perrone, co-author of The Mentee’s Navigator: Making Mentoring Happen and A Mentor’s Handbook, and co-principal of Perrone-Ambrose Associates, led the two-day training session at Heads Up’s Albuquerque headquarters in February.

“The overarching goal of the program is to help retain and develop fellow colleagues by providing a supportive atmosphere,” said Eddie Padilla, executive vice president. “The program will prepare mentees for more professional responsibility and hopefully lead to a higher level of job satisfaction and success.”

The 20 employees participating are either mentors or mentees, so there are 10 pairs. The mentors and mentees had separate days of training and everyone had a wrap up session where mentor/mentee pairs discussed expectations, goals and objectives.

The idea for the program developed during recent company-wide strategic planning meetings. An employee committee was formed to develop and drive the program. Applications were sent out to everyone in the company in both English and Spanish. The employee committee selected pairs. The program began in February and will continue for at least one year.