Mentorship as a Catalyst for Change Readiness: A Qualitative Study of How Effective Mentoring Mitigates Burnout and Turnover During Organizational Transformation

Authors

• Jeffery M. Camp, Columbia Southern UniversityFollow

ORCID

Jeffery M. Camp, https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2954-3382

Digital Object Identifier

10.5590/JOM.2026.2.1004

Abstract

This qualitative study examined how effective mentorship mitigates burnout and attenuates turnover intention during organizational change, foregrounding the perspectives of experienced mentors. Drawing on Biggs’s presage–process–product (PPP) model, data were collected through semi-structured interviews (n = 12) and two focus group discussions (n = 6 each), engaging 18 unique mentors employed in organizations with 1,000 or more employees. Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase protocol yielded four themes: (1) mentorship as strategic facilitation of organizational change; (2) mentorship as provision of emotional and psychological support; (3) empowering mentees through relationship-building; and (4) applying adaptive and reflective strategies. Results indicate that successful mentorship is a two-fold process that promotes organizational change goals while simultaneously mitigating employee burnout. This research extends mentoring theory beyond medical settings into the field of organizational change management, offering theoretically grounded and practically applicable insights for HRD scholars and practitioners.

Recommended Citation

Camp, Jeffery M. (2026) "Mentorship as a Catalyst for Change Readiness: A Qualitative Study of How Effective Mentoring Mitigates Burnout and Turnover During Organizational Transformation," Journal of Online Mentoring: Vol. 1: No. 1, Article 5.
DOI: 10.5590/JOM.2026.2.1004
Available at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/jom/vol1/iss1/5