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Mentoring supports children, adolescents and young adults on their career paths and presents an important extracurricular educational format. The COVID-19 pandemic created a strong impetus for the deployment of virtual mentoring programs (VMPs), in which mentors and mentees communicate completely or predominantly through information and communication technologies (ICTs). Because it is unclear whether VMPs remain an attractive offer to mentors and mentees in post-pandemic times, this study aims to investigate the specific motivations of mentors and mentees to participate in VMPs and to draw conclusions about the effective design of VMPs.

In a qualitative study, the authors recruited 200 university students for an online survey, in which participants provided text responses regarding their motivations to participate in a youth or academic VMP as a mentor or mentee.

Potential mentors and mentees expect social components in VMPs. However, the results suggest that participants expect less psychosocial compared to career-related support from virtual mentoring, expect meaningful connections to be established only to a certain extent and do not expect role modeling from mentors. Furthermore, participants voiced mixed opinions about the virtual nature of mentoring programs, revealing a general field of tension (i.e. virtuality improves flexibility vs virtuality impairs relationship building). On this basis, design suggestions regarding VMPs are provided.

This study expands existing knowledge about VMPs by analyzing relevant factors when forming the intention to participate in a mentoring program, considering both youth and academic mentoring.

To remain competitive, efficient and productive, organisations need to ensure that their employees continuously learn and develop. This is even more challenging and critical in times characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA). Hence, several technological applications have been introduced with the promise to make organisational training and development (T&D) more efficient and targeted through digitisation and automation. However, digitising and automating processes in the sensitive field of T&D also poses challenges and perils for employees and organisations as a whole.

Structured by the T&D process of (1) assessment/planning, (2) design/implementation and (3) evaluation, the authors present different digitisation and automation possibilities and discuss the specific opportunities and challenges they pose. Subsequently, the authors identify and discuss overarching themes of opportunities and challenges of technology use in T&D via a meta-review.

This synthesis revealed three central topics that decision-makers in T&D should carefully consider when it comes to the implementation of technological applications: opportunities and challenges of (1) data collection, (2) decision-making and (3) the value of human contact.

This review integrates previously fragmented research on specific technologies applied to specific T&D functions and provides researchers and practitioners with a fuller picture of the opportunities and challenges of technology applied in T&D.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Successful digitization and automation of employee training and development (T&D) becomes likelier when a three-phase process is adopted. Firms can identify new opportunities within each phase of the process but must also be alert to specific challenges that can arise.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.