Interns are commonly tertiary students, recent graduates or even experienced working professionals undergoing temporary placements at your company to gain on-the-job professional experience.

With this, many academic courses also incorporate internships as part of their syllabus to equip their tertiary students with practical experience and hands-on exposure, experiencing first-hand how work is done in a real-life working environment.

Despite their short time with your company, interns, if managed well with your company culture, can become valuable positive contributors at your workplace.

How can you manage interns better?

Here are 3 key principles you can apply, using the 3 I's:

• Involve
• Improve
• Inspire

1. Involve

Don't make the common mistake of simply delegating your interns just menial tasks and duties.

Many a time, your interns are proactive and eager to contribute, willing to make up for their lack of professional experience with commitment and dedication.

Make the most of your interns' potential and abilities. Involve your interns in actual and meaningful work within your company.

This helps keep your interns engaged and feel valued, motivating them to repay your trust by carrying out their responsibilities well.

2. Improve

Interns can be very enthusiastic about making the most of their time with your company, wanting to learn as much as possible for their professional growth.

Don't hamper their enthusiasm! Be intentional in helping them improve, supporting their professional development. If their internship is part of an academic course, align this with their academic course's learning objectives too.

Take the initiative to coach and guide them in their tasks and duties. Provide regular constructive feedback on their areas of improvement. Allow them to shadow you when possible too.

With their continuous improvement, they will become more productive and competent as well, able to progressively help with heavier tasks and duties in your company.

3. Inspire

More often than not, your interns are 'green' with little to no professional experience. Hence their internship experience with your company will likely form a foundational part of how they approach work as they begin their professional careers.

This is your opportunity to provide your interns an impactful experience in your company that inspires them for their careers.

Go beyond just delegating them tasks and duties as a checklist to be completed. Engage with your interns, helping them realise how they matter and play an integral part of the bigger picture.

An inspired intern here understands and performs their tasks and duties by recognising they are part of a higher purpose and meaning towards excellence for the collective success of their careers and the company.

Concluding remarks

Managing your interns better with your company culture is not just a rewarding experience for your interns, but your company as well.

With a company culture that manages your interns well, your interns can potentially be absorbed and further developed into your company's future leaders, ensuring continuity of business success.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Culturedation specialises in Company Culture Advisory and Trainings, helping you improve your Company Culture for your Business.

Feel free to browse our Guides section for more useful company culture resources.

Keen to discover how you can unlock your business and people's potential with your company culture?

Connect with us now:

• Email: yoursuccess(at)culturedation.com
• LinkedIn: Follow us here

And let's start your journey together.