Educational guidance on training documentation — records, matrices and registers employers use to keep track of who has been trained. Connected to workplace training, employment documents and workplace safety. Informational only — a documentation guide, not legal advice, not certified training and not proof of competence; employers remain responsible for accuracy and compliance.
Overview
Mentoring pairs a more experienced colleague with someone developing in their role, through regular supportive conversations. A mentoring record keeps a simple, agreed account of those sessions — the dates, the topics and any goals.
This page is an educational outline of what such a record usually contains. It documents the mentoring relationship and discussions; it is not a performance assessment or a competence assessment, and it is not proof of competence.
What it is for
- To keep a simple account of mentoring sessions that took place.
- To note the topics discussed and any goals or actions agreed.
- To track progress towards those goals over time.
- To help mentor and mentee see how the relationship is developing.
Who uses it
- Mentors, who guide and support a less experienced colleague.
- Mentees, who agree what is recorded about their development.
- HR or programme coordinators overseeing a mentoring scheme.
- The employer, who uses it to see that a mentoring programme is working.
What it typically contains
- The mentor and mentee, and the dates of sessions.
- A brief note of the topics discussed in each session.
- Any goals or actions agreed and who owns them.
- A short note of progress towards earlier goals.
How it is created and maintained
A mentoring record is usually kept lightly and by agreement, with the mentor or mentee noting the date, topics and any actions after each session. What is recorded is normally agreed between them.
It is maintained by adding to it after each session and revisiting goals. It documents the conversations and development support; it is not an assessment of competence or performance.
How it is kept up to date
- A short entry is added after each mentoring session.
- Goals are revisited and progress noted over time.
- The record is adjusted as the mentoring focus changes.
- It is reviewed within the programme to see mentoring is happening.
Data protection & confidentiality (general)
Mentoring conversations can be personal, and the record holds personal data, so it should be stored securely and shared only with those agreed and with a legitimate reason to see it. Respecting confidentiality helps mentoring stay open and honest.
This is general information, not data-protection advice. The employer and the mentoring pair decide what is recorded, how it is stored, who can access it and how long it is kept, in line with the employer’s obligations.
Exporting, editing & sharing as a PDF
A mentoring record may be exported as a PDF to give a fixed summary of sessions and progress — for example, for a review within a mentoring programme, where the mentee agrees to share it.
Exporting it as a PDF does not change what it is. It documents mentoring conversations and development support; it does not assess anyone and is not proof of competence.
Retention (general)
Employers and mentoring pairs usually keep a mentoring record for as long as the relationship and its goals are relevant, then dispose of it securely. The period is for the employer to decide.
This page gives no fixed retention period. The right approach depends on the employer’s policies, any agreement with the mentee and any applicable requirements, which sit outside this educational guide.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating a mentoring record as proof of competence or as a performance review.
- Recording personal conversations without the mentee’s agreement.
- Sharing mentoring notes more widely than agreed.
- Letting the record drift so it no longer reflects the actual sessions.
Who is responsible / a record is not proof of competence
The employer is responsible for any mentoring programme, for any separate assessment of competence and for keeping records appropriately. A mentoring record is an educational document that evidences mentoring took place.
It is not proof of competence, authorisation or compliance, and it is not a performance assessment. HRHelperG does not deliver mentoring, assess anyone or issue certificates, and the record does not transfer the employer’s responsibility.
Export, edit and share documents
The documents, policies and templates this involves can be exported, edited, signed, stored and shared as PDFs with the HELPERG PDF Editor.
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