Challenges of mentoring in South African construction industry

Abstract: One of the major requirements in the development and growth of an industry or organisation is the incubation of new workforce through appropriate recruitment processes, proper training and effective mentoring by experienced members. However, the process is not expected to be smooth owing to individual dispositions and attitudes, organisation interest, and avenues and opportunities for mentoring, amongst others. In this study, various challenges of mentoring encountered by mentees and mentors were examined with a view to promoting effective mentoring among professionals in the construction industry in the quest to improve their productivity and thereby enhance better performance in construction projects. Data on professionals in the built environment were collected through the administration of questionnaires using a convenient sampling technique. Personality issues that are concerned with differences in behaviours and dispositions to matters are the major challenges of mentoring in the construction industry. More so, attitudes of the mentees dictate and affect behaviours of mentors, and vice-versa. In view of this, professionals involved in mentoring should be concerned about their attitudes to each other and personal beliefs should not be a basis for judgment. Mutual respect and concern for growth and development should form the basis of mentoring relationships