Mentoring programme challenges: The top 7 challenges and how to overcome them

Mentoring is one of the most powerful tools for developing talent, fostering inclusion, and improving retention. But launching a mentoring initiative is just the first step. Many programmes fail to deliver results because they stumble over avoidable hurdles.
Whether you're running a company-wide mentoring scheme or a pilot project, understanding the most frequent challenges is the key to overcoming them and unlocking long-term impact.

What are the most common mentoring programme challenges?

Based on conversations with HR leaders, L&D professionals and programme managers across industries, here are the seven most common mentoring programme challenges and how to overcome them effectively.

1. Poor mentor-mentee matching

If participants aren't well matched, the mentoring relationship can feel forced or unproductive. Without alignment on goals, experience, or interests, momentum quickly fizzles. Mismatched pairings are a leading cause of early drop-out in mentoring schemes.

To avoid this, it’s best to use a structured matching process that considers preferences, skills, and goals. PushFar’s smart matching algorithm and mentee-led matching feature help ensure better alignment from the start. The platform also allows for manual adjustments, giving programme managers flexibility to fine-tune pairings.

2. Lack of clear goals and structure

Mentoring relationships without clear direction often drift, leaving both parties unsure what success looks like. This leads to disengagement and a lack of tangible outcomes.

By providing guidance for goal-setting from the outset, this common mentoring programme challenge can be tackled. Templates, progress tracking, and example discussion topics can give structure while keeping things flexible. PushFar includes built-in goal tracking tools to support this. You can also build in checkpoints at the 1-month and 3-month mark to review progress.

3. Inconsistent engagement or drop-off

One of the biggest mentoring programme challenges is a strong start that fades. Life gets busy, and without reminders, sessions get postponed indefinitely. Inconsistent engagement can undermine trust and stall the relationship.

The solution can be automated reminders, calendar syncs, and light-touch nudges to help maintain momentum. PushFar integrates scheduling and engagement tracking to reduce drop-offs. Encouraging mentors and mentees to agree on a recurring schedule from day one can also improve consistency.

4. Insufficient time commitment

Both mentors and mentees often underestimate the time needed. When sessions become low-priority, progress stalls. Time pressures are especially common in senior-level mentoring, where calendars are already at capacity.

To overcome this, set realistic expectations and offer flexible formats like micro-mentoring or group mentoring. Consider embedding mentoring goals into performance reviews or L&D frameworks. PushFar allows time tracking and provides visibility into session lengths, helping managers support time optimisation.

5. Limited mentor training

Mentors may be experts in their field, but not necessarily in mentoring. Without support, they might lack the confidence to guide effectively or feel unsure how to navigate tricky topics.

Offer optional training resources, onboarding webinars, and peer forums to help them enhance the mentoring skills. PushFar supports mentors with resources and access to a global mentoring community where they can learn and share experiences. Even a short introductory video or FAQ guide can boost confidence.

6. Difficulty measuring impact

Stakeholders need to see results. If you can’t demonstrate progress or outcomes, it’s hard to justify the investment and secure a future budget. This is especially true in enterprise organisations where ROI is under constant scrutiny.

Using mentoring platforms with analytics dashboards that track sessions, engagement, and goals met demonstrates the impact of your mentoring programmes. PushFar provides real-time insights to help prove and improve impact. You can also conduct pre- and post-programme surveys to track perceived growth and satisfaction.

7. Lack of diversity in mentoring opportunities

If mentoring is only accessible to select employees, you risk reinforcing existing inequalities. Mentoring programme challenges often come when you only focus on high potentials, overlooking others who could benefit.

It’s critical to open access to mentoring across departments, levels, and regions. PushFar’s open network allows individuals to connect with mentors and mentees globally, supporting DEI goals. Anonymous or cross-functional matching can also encourage more inclusive engagement.

How can you avoid mentoring programme challenges and set your team up for success?

Every mentoring initiative will face hurdles, but most are avoidable with the right tools, structure, and cultural support. Technology can help solve the logistical and strategic gaps that cause programmes to falter. Equally important is leadership buy-in and clear communication around the programme’s purpose.

Encourage storytelling by showcasing internal mentoring success stories. Recognise mentors publicly and share mentee progress to reinforce value across the organisation. Ensure your programme aligns with wider business objectives, such as succession planning, employee engagement, or diversity targets.

Mentoring takeaway: Success isn’t about avoiding all challenges. It’s about designing your programme to handle them with clarity, support, and the right systems in place.

Don’t let mentoring challenges derail your goals. Book a demo to see how PushFar helps solve them.