The generational cohort interning today represents the managers and CEOs of years to come
With scores of summer internships happening virtually this year, it’s critical that businesses understand the implications and limitations of going online, and what can be done to offer potential future employees the best possible experience - even if it’s over Zoom.
One HR professor offers five tips on how businesses and interns can get the most out of 2020’s summer of remote working.
Understand The Value Of Interns
The long-term success of our businesses and economies is inextricably linked to the future of our workforce. The generational cohort interning today represents the managers and CEOs of years to come, so it’s in our best interest to recognize their potential and support their development.
“As recently as the beginning of the year, recruiting and retaining the best talent was regularly identified as one of the biggest constraints organizations faced in delivering on their strategies,” says David Collings, a Professor of Human Resource Management at Dublin City University in Ireland.
He says that while there’s no doubt that unemployment will rise significantly globally, which in turn will increase talent availability, the best talent will remain in high demand.
“We know that internships represent a key talent pipeline for organizations so the case for developing immersive virtual internships is strong,” he says.
Be Realistic
No in-person internship can be entirely replicated online, so it’s important that employers adapt, acknowledge their limitations and aren’t tempted to be too ambitious.
“Traditional internships were honed over years to get to the level they were at. Perfection can be the enemy of the good in terms of developing virtual opportunities, so my advice would be to be realistic in terms of the ambition in terms of programmes,” says Collings.
He adds that it’s paramount to identify the core objectives of the programme and to build from there. One goal might be to showcase corporate culture, and organizations should consider carefully how this can be done virtually. Creativity might be necessary to get it right.
“I have seen examples of welcome packs being mailed to interns' homes to help with that initial impression for example,” he says. “One advantage of virtual platforms is that all interns can have equal access to senior leaders as part of the induction. External speakers can also have a wider reach virtually.”
Collings also says that it's important to equip programme managers and line managers with the skills they need to manage interns virtually. “Many of these skills required for virtual leadership are similar to those required for non-virtual leadership,” he explains, but he adds that it’s important they remember that “interns are not just new to the organization but in many cases new to the workplace”.
On a fundamental level, there should be clear touchpoints for interns to get the information they need at any time. Communication is key. As a newcomer to the workforce, no question should be considered too basic and all interns should feel comfortable asking just about anything.
Be Human
Interns are human. Just like any other employee they’re motivated by feeling valued, appreciated and by being given an opportunity to progress and develop. Collings suggests employers think about projects and activities “to engage interns and give them learning experiences” as a way of keeping them enthusiastic and therefore productive.
”One of the advantages of the virtual format is that it makes it easier to have interns collaborate across offices or even across borders. Think about innovative ways to expand collaborations,” he says.
Though an internship should emulate work and give a taste of real corporate life, that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun: “Try to maintain the fun activities that are core to internships. They will need to look different and need to be adapted to work in a virtual format but don't forget the fun aspects”.
Giving interns a sense of being cared for can also go a long way towards creating an enduring positive impressions and attracting top talent.
The pandemic has proved a challenging period for everyone. Simply checking in regularly and asking about an intern’s wellbeing, for example, can be hugely effective.
Be Patient
Collings notes that in this largely untested environment, it’s important to be patient and not to expect things to work in the same way as they have historically.
One example relates to feedback and assessment.
“Questioning the metrics that were used in the past is an important starting point,” he says. He adds that it might be particularly difficult to evaluate things like an intern’s cultural fit, so that’s something leaders should be paying particular attention to.
Other HR experts have underscored the importance of being tolerant of varying technological abilities. Many interns will be highly digitally literate, but problems logging onto a Zoom call should not distract managers from their other abilities and talents.
Being an intern can be a daunting time, and it’s certainly not unusual for individuals to take a few days before getting used to the systems and ways - even when not in the throes of a global pandemic.
Don’t Forget About Diversity
Finally, it’s important that employers try to understand the lived experience of each intern and the impact that this might have on opportunities to reach their full potential.
“It is important to recognize that not all candidates will have a level playing field in terms of the impressions they create when they are working virtually,” Collings says.
“We need to be very thoughtful about the biases that may emerge as we judge interns based on factors completely outside their control. So for example, some interns will have the advantage of a home situation where they can create a very professional impression by framing video calls in home offices or other appropriate settings, versus others who may have very limited space at home and be restricted to small bedrooms or the like”.
He says that for those with caring responsibilities in the home, it may be more difficult to engage in all activities and they may require some flexibility in terms of scheduling of meetings.
“The key point is that how managers interpret many of these factors may lead to unintended biases and disadvantage some cohorts,” Collings says.
Many businesses have worked hard to create more diverse and inclusive working environments, where conscious and unconscious bias is not tolerated and where opportunities are afforded to all. Covid-19 has created countless challenges for employers, but it’s paramount that we don’t lose sight of the importance of our efforts that were already under way.
