Early Career Mentorship In Cannabis And Beyond

As an emerging industry, cannabis provides a unique opportunity for people of all work backgrounds to make a fresh start early in their careers, whether they are new to the workforce or simply new to cannabis. Employers need to keep in mind that businesses cannot be run with only leadership—focusing solely on the growth of company executives while leaving behind newcomers can be detrimental. As the individuals that execute the day-to-day business strategy, it is essential to take care in developing employees early in their careers, focusing on a few key tenets, including conveying confidence in the industry, sharing development resources that help them best understand their strengths and passions, and ensuring that executives comprehend the importance of developing newcomers. With these pillars in mind, business executives and human resources in cannabis and beyond can develop the next generation of leaders.

Cultivating Confidence In Cannabis

Employers in cannabis should be prepared to help those beginning their cannabis careers as they transition into a new, often stigmatized industry. Despite wider spread societal acceptance of cannabis and a wealth of industry jobs, ingrained stigmas still exist when employees switch to the industry. Many employees in the workforce today grew up being taught a negative perception of cannabis, whether from their parents, media, or government policies. Now, candidates may need to be reassured of the legitimacy of the job and company, especially when they would be leaving a more well-known, “cushy” job—a new type of negotiation requirement that cannabis HR leaders should be prepared to navigate. Considering this, cannabis employers should be able to communicate the legitimacy of cannabis jobs to ease fears when transitioning to a formerly-illegal industry.

Providing Learning And Developmental Resources

Another critical aspect of mentoring those early in their cannabis careers is providing thoughtful opportunities for learning and development, allowing employees to better understand their passions, strengths, and how they best work and operate. There are a variety of means to achieve this—to start, employers should consider offering personality assessments to identify an employee’s traits and strengths. Such tests include the CliftonStrengths exam, which ranks an individual’s strengths and thus illuminates how to keep them engaged at work, more productive in their roles, and happier in their work and personal lives. Another test often used in workplace development is the Personalysis Profile, which provides a view of three distinct personality aspects, helping individuals gain confidence, approach social interactions, and express their purposes and passions. Such tests, taken after hiring, can be an excellent tool for company leaders to understand their employees and set them up for success.

In addition to personality tests, employers should expand a new employee’s horizons by allowing them to cross-train through a variety of the business’s functions. For example, leaders could give a young marketing employee the chance to execute a sales project, learn a new skill such as coding, draft website content, and more to help identify what they enjoy and excel at. In short, taking the time to understand employees on an individual level is an essential aspect of building them up, developing their talents and skills to succeed. 

Ensuring That Executives Pave The Way

When it comes down to it, a company’s executives need to be as enthusiastic and involved as the HR leaders in developing and mentoring new employees. New and younger employees are the foundation of a company, directly accomplishing the very department goals that further the business strategies of the entire operation. Not only do newer employees build the foundation, but they also support the company's happiness overall—busy executives never know how content and supported they are until their coordinator leaves.

These recent hires can benefit significantly from the mentorship of a more experienced worker. A dedicated mentor can give newcomers a steady resource to ask questions, receive advice, and learn key skills while fostering a tight-knit company culture. Bringing executives on board for mentorship also helps in succession planning—knowing individuals on a more personal level can give employers valuable insight into their potential career paths within the company. Getting everyone involved in the training of new employees greases the wheels of operations, helping a company run smoothly.

Cannabis provides a rare opportunity for new employees to break into a growing sector, whether it be their first job in the workforce or a career path switch. If HR leaders and company executives alike dedicate time and effort to mentoring and developing their most recent hires, they will guarantee a solid, successful foundation for the business to build up from. This focus on early career professionals will help move your business forward by bringing fresh energy, diversity, and thoughts to the table.