MISsed Connections: Developing a Mentorship for Inclusion Scale (MIS)
Abstract
Mentorship has received substantial attention as an initiative to improve the worker experience. Though worker inclusion has been purported to be an outcome of mentorship, the specific mentor behaviours that predict mentees’ feelings of belonging and authenticity have been unclear. The goal of this research was to develop a Mentorship for Inclusion Scale (MIS) focused on actionable behaviours performed by a mentor which relate to the end goals of mentee inclusion. This was accomplished through four interrelated sub-studies. First, I conducted semi-structured interviews with workplace mentors and mentees (N = 27) and used the themes to generate items for the MIS. Second, subject matter experts provided feedback on the scale items (N = 10). Subsequently, I administered the MIS on a separate sample (N = 215) and examined the measurement model of inclusive mentorship. Two factors emerged and these same two factors were found in a secondary survey sample (N = 328). In the scale validation phase of the study, I assessed the nomological network of inclusive mentorship and found evidence of construct validity. Then I evaluated the MIS for criterion-related validity, assessing its relationship to mentees’ perceived inclusion, turnover intentions, employee voice, and perceived equity in opportunities. The results indicated that mentees who agreed more that their mentors engaged in specific sets of behaviours tended to report higher levels of perceived belonging and authenticity. While industries and organizations can foster inclusion in a variety of ways, this research highlights the potential of action at the individual level. I conclude by discussing the implications and limitations of the four studies. This work contributes to fostering supportive workplaces for existing and future workers and provides a practical tool to assess workplace mentors for goals of inclusion.