Mentorship Working Group Charter

Creating Incentives for Mentorship: Introduction

Purpose and Goals of the Working Group

The SRE team has identified a significant need to enhance and formalize the mentoring process within our organization. This working group was established to address two critical areas of concern, as highlighted by Driving Change Together: prioritizing - Survey Results

Create Incentives for Mentoring: This area emerged as the top priority. The group will explore and propose effective strategies to incentivize mentorship within the SRE team. This includes identifying rewards, recognition methods, and other motivational tools to encourage potential mentors and mentees to participate actively in the mentorship program.

Brief Description of the Need for Mentorship Incentives in the SRE Team

The survey results indicate a strong desire among staff for more structured and rewarding mentorship opportunities. The need for this initiative stems from several key observations:

Knowledge Sharing and Skill Development: There's a recognition that mentorship is vital for the continuous sharing of knowledge and skills within the team, particularly in an evolving field like SRE.
Career Development and Team Growth: Effective mentorship is a pathway for career development for mentors and mentees and fosters overall team growth and cohesion.
Addressing Current Gaps: The survey responses suggest that while informal mentoring does occur, there is a lack of formal structure and recognition, leading to missed opportunities for broader participation and more impactful mentorship relationships.

The working group will delve into these areas, seeking to develop a well-rounded mentorship program that addresses the immediate needs highlighted by the team and sets a foundation for a sustained mentorship culture within the organization.

Scope of Work

The scope of this working group is designed to address the specific needs identified in the SRE staff survey, focusing on mentorship and documentation standards. This section outlines the key areas the group will explore and the parameters within which it will operate.

Developing Mentorship Incentives

Research and Analysis: Investigate existing mentorship models within and outside the organization to understand best practices and potential incentive mechanisms. Analyze current mentorship practices within SRE to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
Incentive Strategy Development: Design a range of incentive options tailored to the SRE team's unique environment and culture. Consider various incentives such as recognition programs, professional development opportunities, and other motivational tools.
Implementation Planning: Develop a comprehensive plan for implementing the chosen incentive model, including necessary resources, timelines, and integration with existing systems. Outline procedures for ongoing evaluation and adaptation of the incentive program.

Defining Mentorship within SRE

Clarifying Objectives and Expectations: Establish clear definitions and objectives for mentorship within the SRE context, aligning them with broader team and organizational goals. Define the roles and responsibilities of mentors and mentees, ensuring clarity and mutual understanding.
- Focusing on 1-on-1 mentorship: While the working group agrees that mentorship can take many forms and manifest itself in many different ways, to narrow down the scope of this effort to an initial deliverable, the team will focus exclusively on 1-on-1 mentoring relationships.
- Sustainable efforts: It will be crucial for the organization at large, particularly the SRE management team, to be able to maintain and build upon the work done by the group. This means that the solutions proposed and implemented should be scalable, adaptable, and flexible enough to accommodate changing needs and requirements over time.
Mentorship Framework Development: Create a structured framework for mentorship, including guidelines on forming mentor-mentee relationships, setting goals, and measuring progress. Consider diverse mentorship formats (e.g., one-on-one, group mentoring) to accommodate different learning styles and needs.

Evaluating and Measuring Impact

Success Metrics and Evaluation Tools: Identify critical metrics for evaluating the mentorship program's success and the incentives' effectiveness. Develop tools or methods for regular assessment, feedback, and continuous improvement of the mentorship initiatives.
Reporting and Communication: Establish a process for regular reporting to stakeholders on the progress and impact of the mentorship program. Foster open communication channels within the team for sharing experiences, challenges, and successes related to mentorship.

Ensuring Sustainability and Engagement

Long-term Strategy: Plan for the long-term sustainability of the mentorship program, considering the team's and individual members' evolving needs. Explore ways to integrate mentorship into the core culture and practices of the SRE team.

Engagement and Participation: Develop strategies to encourage active participation and engagement from all team members in the mentorship program. Address potential barriers to participation and create an inclusive, supportive mentorship environment.

Membership and Roles

For the working group to effectively address the mentorship incentives within the SRE team, a clear definition of its membership and the roles of each member is essential. This section outlines the composition of the group and the specific responsibilities assigned to its members.

Membership

The working group will consist of volunteers from the SRE team.
Emphasis on diverse roles and experience levels to ensure a broad range of perspectives.
Members should be enthusiastic about improving mentorship practices within the team.

Time Commitment

Each member must commit approximately 3 hours per week to working group activities.
- This includes a 30-minute weekly meeting and additional time for assigned tasks or collaborative work.
Members and their managers are encouraged to recognize and support this time commitment as part of their professional development and contribution to the team's growth.
The working group will operate for a quarter (Q3 FY2023/2024).

Operations

Meeting Schedule

Frequency: The team will meet once a week.
Duration: Each meeting will last for 30 minutes.
Purpose, Objective, and Process will be shared for each meeting ahead of time.

Preparation and Participation

Preparation: Members must come prepared for each meeting. This includes completing any pre-reading and reviewing materials shared in advance.
Agenda Management: The agenda for each meeting will be posted at least one day in advance. Members are encouraged to contribute to the agenda by adding topics, questions, or pre-reading materials they wish to discuss or share.

Task Management

Assignment and Tracking: Tasks will be assigned and tracked using a rolling working group agenda.
Responsibility and Accountability: Members are expected to be responsible and accountable for their assigned tasks. This includes actively working on tasks and promptly communicating blockers or challenges to the working group lead.

Communication

Channels: Group members will primarily communicate via the IRC channel or email, ensuring a consistent and accessible platform for all discussions and updates.
Feedback and Collaboration: Regular feedback and collaboration are essential, with members encouraged to engage and address operational challenges actively.

Deliverables and Outcomes

Mentorship Incentive Proposal: The primary deliverable will be a comprehensive proposal for creating incentives for mentorship within the SRE team. This should include detailed incentive mechanisms, implementation strategies, and potential challenges with proposed solutions.
Implementation Roadmap: A step-by-step plan outlining implementing the proposed mentorship incentives, including timelines, required resources, and responsible parties.

Timeline for Deliverables

Initial Draft: Late Feb 2024
Revision and Finalization: Early March Q3

Final Approval: The final proposal and implementation plan will be presented to the SRE team during the SRE “Off-Site” in March 2024.

Documentation and Reporting

Regular Updates: will happen every two weeks as part of the SRE staff meeting.
Documentation: All findings, proposals, and plans will be documented for future reference.
Feedback Incorporation: Stakeholder feedback will be actively sought and incorporated into the proposal to align it with broader team and organizational objectives.

Evaluation and Impact Measurement

Post-Implementation Survey

The team will create a survey to assess the effectiveness of the mentorship program from the perspective of both the participants and the larger SRE community. The survey will help the team gather feedback about the program and make informed decisions about future improvements.

Participation Rates

The team will track the number of team members participating in mentorship roles before and after implementing incentives. This will help them understand the impact of the incentives on participation rates and make necessary adjustments.

Feedback

The team will assess the qualitative feedback from participants regarding their experiences and the value they perceive from the mentorship program. This will help them understand the program's strengths and weaknesses from the participants' perspective.

Adjustments Based on Feedback

The team will be prepared to adjust the incentive program based on feedback and observed outcomes. This will help them improve the program and ensure that it continues to meet the needs of the participants.

Transparent Reporting

The team will share the results of the evaluations with the team and relevant stakeholders to maintain transparency and foster a culture of continuous improvement. This will help everyone involved stay informed and engaged in the process.

Celebrating Successes

The team will highlight and celebrate any positive outcomes or improvements to encourage ongoing participation and support for the mentorship program. This will create a positive and supportive environment that encourages participants to continue to engage in mentorship roles.