We realized that many of our leaders often operate in organizational silos. We wanted to create more opportunities for junior leaders to make connections with senior leaders outside of their functional areas who could provide mentorship, sponsorship, and guidance.

Wynn Resorts developed a formal mentor program in July of 2018. The mentor programs across Wynn Resorts properties have built a culture of internal mentorship, professional support, and personal development. Program goals build on the following personal and professional objectives:

• Career Development: Help mentees plan, grow, and manage their careers.
• Professional Identity: Help mentees embody the core values of their profession
• Staff Retention: Provide a supportive environment that facilitates progression within the organization. Organizational Development and Culture: Help communicate Wynn Resorts’ core values and culture
• Employee Engagement: Show employees that their feedback and ideas are valued.
• Continuous Learning/Knowledge Transfer: Provide an exchange of knowledge between members of different departments.

Since the four-month program was formalized in 2018, Wynn Resorts has paired 100 mid-level managers with senior leaders at the company. Mentors and mentees are paired across divisions, and the program has been very well received, and 84% of the mentees felt that being paired with a senior mentor from another area of the business was “extremely valuable” or “very valuable.”

The next cohort of the Wynn Mentor Program will start in January of 2020.  The program length will increase from four to six months based on feedback from previous program participants who wanted to increase the length of the program in order to allow for improved mentor/mentee relationships.

Jelani Hale