I’m Only Human: A New E-road to Advancing Social Equity Through a Humanist Approach to Mentoring in Public Service

• Author: Sue M. Neal,Angela Kline,Amanda M. Olejarski,Michelle Gherardi
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X211058180
• Published date: 01 June 2023
• Date: 01 June 2023
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X211058180

Review of Public Personnel Administration

2023, Vol. 43(2) 239 –259

© The Author(s) 2022

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DOI: 10.1177/0734371X211058180

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Article

I’m Only Human: A New

E-road to Advancing Social

Equity Through a Humanist

Approach to Mentoring in

Public Service

Sue M. Neal1, Angela Kline1, Amanda M. Olejarski1,

and Michelle Gherardi1

Abstract

This research reviews how mentoring has manifested in public service and how it

can evolve to be better positioned to address key diversity, equity, and inclusion

objectives. This work inventories the current understanding of public sector mentoring,

highlighting the contrast between the classical mentoring approach of functionalism

with the emerging humanist approach. Barriers to implementing meaningful humanist

mentoring are reviewed, and e-mentoring is presented as a modality well situated

to overcome these obstacles. The humanist e-mentoring model provides a process

and modality to advance social equity by removing existing barriers to opportunities.

Finally, best practices and outcomes for successfully implementing e-mentoring

humanist and relationships in public service are presented and an updated model of

critical outcomes is advanced. A brief agenda for future scholarship on this topic is

presented.

Keywords

mentoring, e-mentoring, humanist, gender equity

In this current era as the United States grapples with systemic racism and injustice,

it is understood that there is no easy solution to correct these complex societal

issues. Rather, it is incumbent on the public sector to intentionally create space and

1West Chester University of Pennsylvania, USA

Corresponding Author:

Sue M. Neal, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 50 Sharpless St, West Chester, PA 19382-3622,

USA.

Email: sn918363@wcupa.edu

1058180ROPXXX10.1177/0734371X211058180Review of Public Personnel AdministrationNeal et al.

research-article2021

240 Review of Public Personnel Administration 43(2)

institutionalize policies that protect those currently facing marginalization and

oppression. Developing mentoring relationships is one strategy to provide more

equitable opportunities for people of color, women, and those with differing physi-

cal abilities. Mentoring offers individuals a personal and professional relationship

that can help guide important career decisions, open the door to networking and

new projects, and offer encouragement to pursue opportunities. The public sector is

perfectly positioned to develop mentoring programs and activities that promote

social equity and inclusion. Programs that prove successful in public service could

then serve as models for other employers in other sectors and industries.

While mentoring programs already exist in the public sector, there are specific bar-

riers that have prevented these programs from achieving the core objectives of diver-

sity, equity, and inclusion. Existing mentoring models need to be critically examined

to ensure that they promote social equity and do not simply recycle and reinforce the

unequal distribution of power. Social equity as the fourth pillar of public administra-

tion is “the fair, just and equitable management of all institutions serving the public

directly or by contract, and the fair, just and equitable distribution of public services

and implementation of public policy, and the commitment to promote fairness, justice,

and equity in the formation of public policy” (Johnson & Svara, 2011, p. 16). In order

to achieve this type of management, it is critical that the field of public administration

address the barriers to mentoring programs to ensure that a diverse pool of leaders is

developed and supported. A new paradigm that furthers social equity is needed in

mentoring, especially in public service.

Through a systematic literature review of the top public administration journals,

this research characterizes the extremely limited body of literature on mentoring in

public administration. Beginning with the existing literature and the traditional men-

toring relationship, which is classified as functionalist, a new framework is provided

for developing a humanist perspective in public administration mentoring. Distinct

limitations that exist to meaningfully operationalizing humanist mentoring are identi-

fied by outlining a series of barriers to implementation. Thus, it is argued, a new

approach to applying the humanist framework to public service mentoring is essential

if mentoring is ever to fully reach its potential. Notably, the development of e-mentor-

ing opportunities in public administration is recommended with specific best practices

supported by adjacent disciplines and resulting outcomes for individual participants

aligned with the humanist paradigm.

Given the expansion of online activities due to the COVID-19 global health crisis,

the time is right to advance e-mentoring to continue personal and professional devel-

opment through a humanist mentoring framework. Mentoring is one of many solutions

to address the widespread inequities within the public sector. This research advances

humanist e-mentoring in public administration as a process and modality to aid social

equity by removing existing barriers to opportunity. These new mentoring models and

modalities are needed to advance solutions in the public sector. This research provides

both best practices and individual outcomes for cultivating mentoring relationships in

public administration.