Levelling the playing field : reducing barriers to mentoring for women protégés in the South African organisational context

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impediments to effective mentoring faced by women protégés at two South African organisations. The purposive sampling method was used to identify female employees who had participated as protégés in a mentoring relationship (N=17). Qualitative methods were used to collect and analyse data on the respondents' experiences of the mentoring relationship. The findings indicated numerous barriers to mentoring for women. A basic taxonomy of recommendations for reducing these barriers in the workplace is recommended. Die doel met hierdie studie was om die hindernisse wat deur vroue protégés in twee Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies ervaar word ten opsigte van doeltreffende hulp en leiding (<I>mentoring</I>), te ondersoek. 'n Doelmatigheidsteekproefneming is aangewend om vroulike werknemers wat deel van 'n mentorverhouding was, te identifiseer (N=17). Kwalitatiewe metodes is benut om data oor die respondente se ervaring van die mentorverhouding te versamel en te ontleed. Die bevindinge dui op aansienlike hindernisse tot die mentor van vroue. 'n Basiese taksonomie van aanbevelings vir die vermindering van hierdie hindernisse in die werkplek word aanbeveel.