For many businesses, interns play a large role in the backbone of operations. While the stereotypical portrait of internships calls for tasks like fetching coffee, making copies and menial administrative work, companies should consider the importance of developing their interns by providing them a meaningful learning experience.
One of the first steps in the right direction is treating interns like professional colleagues and introducing them to everyone in the company, states Workforce magazine. When these temporary workers get to know people, they'll get a better feel for every aspect of a company and be able to perform better.
It's a good idea to leave the clerical work to administrative employees and focus on having interns sit in on meetings, put together presentations for projects and help prepare client meetings.
Along with meaningful work and detailed direction, supervisor accessibility is one of the top characteristics interns look for in a job, according to Internships.com. When managers make themselves available and approachable, short-term employees feel more comfortable going to them for help and suggestions, thereby improving their output.
Unsurprisingly, compensation is another top priority for many interns. If companies decide to pay these workers, they should consider the benefits of outsourcing HR services to avoid handling daunting payrolling tasks.
