The moderating role of trust in formal mentoring relationships in Korea

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between mentoring functions received, different dimensions of trust (i.e. cognition-based trust and affect-based trust), and work attitudes (i.e. job satisfaction and organizational commitment) in formal mentoring relationships in Korea. In particular, the role of different types of trust as a moderator between mentoring functions received and work attitudes was investigated. The data were collected from protégés who participated in a formal mentoring program at a Korean company. A total of 109 protégés responded for the current study. The key findings included a positive relationship between mentoring functions received and protégés' work attitudes. An additional finding was that cognition-based trust is a critical moderator between mentoring functions received and work attitudes in formal mentoring relationships. The theoretical and practical implications of the study were discussed. Key points: Employees who receive greater mentoring support are more likely to demonstrate positive work attitudes. Protégés' higher perception of mentors' competence and trustworthiness affects their perception of mentoring relationships. However, emotional attachment with mentors is not the optimal condition for the effective mentoring.