Mentorship is a proven approach to advancing in one’s career, particularly for those new in their field or place of employment. Mentorship goes beyond training and education by helping newcomers navigate through the sometimes confusing or complex situations they can face. Mentors and mentees can be of any age or career stage.
Mentors benefit by giving back to the field, enjoying the satisfaction and impact of sharing their knowledge and experience, expanding their networks, and learning new things from their mentee, to name a few. Mentees benefit from new perspectives on their work, expanding their networks, gaining a sounding board for ideas and projects, and increasing their sense of self-worth.
About the Program
The HFES Online Mentorship Program connects professionals at all career levels and provides both mentors and mentees opportunities to develop new relationships, share experiences, and learn from others outside their organizations. It enables established professionals to serve as mentors as a way of giving back to the discipline of human factors and ergonomics, and paying forward the support and guidance they received during the development of their careers. The program aims to connect members of HFES for the purposes of professional development, information exchange, networking, personal growth, and career advancement.
Mentorship can help one identify potential career paths by expanding their knowledge of career options within the industry and providing learning experiences outside of their workplaces. It can help shape the future leaders through expansion of their professional competencies, and, therefore, cultivate a diverse and high-quality pool of candidates in the workforce in the process. Mentorship is a critical component to attracting a more diverse workforce by providing opportunities for professionals new to the industry to learn about the culture of scholarly communications, make new contacts, and feel welcome in our community.
How It Works
Mentors and mentees apply online to participate in a mentorship cohort, or a group of mentors and mentees that begin and end the program during the same timeframe. Each cohort will have a published open and close date and accept a limited number of participants. Mentor relationships are one-to-one matches.
A mentor can have multiple mentees, but a mentee can only have one mentor per cohort within the HFES Mentorship Program. A member can be a mentor and a mentee at the same time; however, first-time participants will be given preference for open spaces. Interested members should apply via an online application found on HFES Connect. Members can reapply for each cohort; however, precedence will be given to first-time mentees.
After the enrollment period ends, mentors and mentees will be moved into the matching phase and will be sent further instructions on how to search for and request a mentor or mentee relationship. Once these mentorship relationships have been formed, the mentorship relationship will officially begin.
Eligbility and FAQs
All active member of HFES are eligible to participate. Interested parties must sign up online by the posted deadline for consideration in a given mentorship cohort.
Visit the FAQ page for more information.
Mentorship Program Code of Conduct
The mentoring program is designed to foster professional and personal development in a structured, ethical, and supportive environment. All participants are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, respect, and responsibility to ensure a positive mentoring experience.
- Ethical - All interactions are confidential: Mentoring relationships thrive on trust and a safe space where mentees can openly discuss concerns, challenges, and aspirations. Mentors and mentees must adhere to a strict confidentiality agreement to protect the privacy of shared information. Mentors must not share mentees’ personal information, discussions, or concerns with others unless given explicit permission or required by law.
- Ethical - Integrity and Commitment: Integrity is the foundation of a successful mentoring relationship. Both mentors and mentees are expected to honor their commitments, including attending scheduled meetings, being available for communication, and following through on any agreed-upon actions. If a mentor or mentee is unable to attend a meeting or will be delayed, they must notify the other party in advance and reschedule promptly.
- Ethical - The mentoring relationship can only be professional: Friendships may naturally develop between mentors and mentees, but the mentoring relationship must remain professional at all times. Romantic relationships between mentors and mentees are strictly prohibited. This includes any behavior that could be interpreted as crossing professional boundaries. Mentors should be particularly mindful of maintaining professional boundaries, given the power differential that often exists in these relationships.
- Ethical -Discrimination in admission to the mentorship program and its execution is prohibited: All forms of discrimination are strictly prohibited, including but not limited to discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, race, national origin, marital status, physical disability, political belief, mental health status, or any other personal characteristic. Participants must communicate professionally, respectfully, and without obscenity or offensive language. Treating each other with dignity and respect at all times is a non-negotiable requirement.
- Structural - Violations of the Code of Conduct must be reported: All participants in the mentoring program have a duty to report any conduct violations, ethical breaches, or inappropriate behavior to maintain a professional and supportive environment. Reports should include the date, time, location, individuals involved, and a description of the incident. Concerns should be submitted to the Mentoring Committee Chair and the Executive Director of HFES. Anonymous reports are accepted, but providing contact information allows for a more thorough investigation. HFES staff will follow procedures for investigation in accordance to HFES policies described at: https://www.hfes.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Incident%20Report%20Form.pdf. The mentoring program is committed to upholding the highest ethical and professional standards, ensuring a safe and inclusive experience for all participants.
- Structural -Violations of the Code of Conduct have consequences: Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in warnings, removal from the program, or other disciplinary actions, depending on the severity of the offense. Any concerns about enforcement should be directed to the Mentoring Committee Chair and Executive Director of HFES.
- Structural - Those participating in the Mentorship program agree to abide to this Code: By participating in this mentoring program, mentors and mentees agree to abide by this Code of Conduct and uphold the values of professionalism, respect, and integrity in their mentoring relationship.
- Structural - When potential Conflicts of Interest arise: If either mentor or mentee shares information that presents a direct conflict of interest for either persons, they must immediately disclose the situation and notify the mentoring committee chair and the Society Executive Director. Any potential or actual conflicts of interest should be reported to the mentoring committee chair for resolution.
- Ethical - Ethical Guidance and Personal Limitations: Mentors should only provide guidance within their areas of expertise and must not misrepresent their knowledge or skills. Mentors must not provide professional advice beyond what is appropriate for their role, including but not limited to health care, legal, and financial advice. If a mentee needs assistance in these areas, the mentor must direct them to a qualified professional. While mentors can share insights and perspectives, they should refrain from giving direct orders or making decisions for the mentee.
- Supportive -Career and Job-Related Conduct: The mentoring program is designed for professional growth. The focus should be on learning, networking, and skill development rather than securing employment. Mentees must not ask mentors for jobs, references, or endorsements.