Lately, at every networking event or leadership roundtable, I’m hearing the same things on repeat.
CEOs are focused on growth in an uncertain context. HR leaders are worried about retention and employee burnout. Managers are trying to figure out how to build connection in hybrid workplaces that feel more transactional by the day. Everyone is chasing new strategies for engagement, inclusion, and belonging—yet most are overlooking one of the simplest, most powerful tools we all have: mentorship.
In an age where technology evolves faster than people can keep up, mentorship is the real accelerator. It’s how knowledge sticks, how culture travels, and how innovation spreads. The companies that will win the next decade aren’t just the ones adopting AI—they’re the ones teaching their people how to keep learning, growing, and lifting the next generation of leaders as they climb.
The reality is that the workforce is changing in ways that we have never experienced before. Innovations have shifted the way we operate. Roles and responsibilities have changed. And in August, U.S. unemployment rose again, all while the number of new entrants getting jobs decreased by almost 200,000 (compared to the previous month).
We’re watching a generational disconnect unfold in real time. The Harris Poll found that nearly half (45%) of Gen Z job seekers feel AI has made their college education irrelevant, and over half (51%) viewed their degrees as a “waste of money.” This is a striking signal that the promise of education no longer feels aligned with the realities of today’s workplace. This isn’t just about the cost of college—it’s about the gap between what’s taught in classrooms and what’s needed to thrive beyond them. Employers see the same cracks: They’re struggling to find qualified candidates even as millions of capable young people are eager—but unsure how—to start.
I talk to a lot of people—nonprofit professionals, business leaders, researchers, and parents of young adults like myself. But it’s often the conversations directly with young people that reveal the challenge, and the solution, most clearly.
Take Josue. He graduated from college this spring and possesses a sharp wit, a creative mind, and a dream of working in the legal field. But like so many first-generation and lower-income students, he was weighing that dream against financial reality. Was law school even an option?
Through a network of mentors, Josue connected with a seasoned legal professional who opened his eyes to career paths he didn’t even know existed, roles in the legal field that didn’t require a law degree. In just a few conversations, that mentor helped him explore options, prepare applications, and gain the confidence to take the next step.
Josue is currently working at a law firm, in a job that he loves. This simple act of mentorship provided career exposure and set Josue on a new trajectory in life.
But that’s not the reality for all young people navigating the workforce today. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, in partnership with the Harris Poll, surveyed 1,000 Gen Z youth from across the country and found that only 41% felt high confidence navigating today’s job market. At the same time, the data showed that 83% of young adults believe a mentor could help them as they enter the workforce.
Young people want mentorship support, even if the mentor doesn’t have all the answers. In fact, 84% of mentored young people attribute their mentors to opening doors to opportunities they didn’t know existed.
Guidance from a mentor can not only help a young person navigate their entrance to the workforce but can also cultivate the next generation of leaders, foster loyalty, and strengthen workplace culture.
Consider also that HR leaders need confident employees with “durable skills,” like communication, adaptability, and teamwork. These are all skills that young people attain through mentorship. Companies with mentoring cultures see increased retention, innovation, and employee engagement.
In fact, it benefits them just as much as it benefits young people. For example, UPS has created career exploration opportunities for young people so they can see the careers that exist within the shipping and logistics industry and ask questions. Mentorship holistically supports a stronger, more diverse talent pipeline.
Today’s leaders are leaning in by creating access for young people in ways that we can scale. Think back to a moment when you needed a nudge or a champion, who was the person who did that for you—the mentor who helped you see possibilities you couldn’t yet imagine? Where would you be without them?
So, before your next strategy meeting or AI pilot, ask a Gen Z employee what’s helping them navigate the uncertainty of work and life right now. You won’t hear about new tools or training modules—you’ll hear about people. Someone who listens, believes in them, and shows them the next step forward.
That’s the opportunity in front of us. To make sure every young person, in every workplace, has access to mentorship. Because the real measure of leadership isn’t just how fast we move—it’s how many people we bring with us.