National Intern Day
What is National Intern Day?
National Intern Day was established in 2017 by WayUp to honour the future leaders of the world—interns! The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the difficulties and injustices that interns and other entry-level applicants encounter in the workplace.
When Is National Intern Day Celebrated?
National Intern Day is celebrated on the last Thursday of July and this year, it falls on the 29th of July. So, if you haven't already, this is the ideal time to begin making plans for the occasion!
Why Interns and Internships are Important?
Interns and internships are important aspects of the community. They act as a way for organizations to contribute back to society by giving a stepping stone to young individuals who are new to the working world. In Lyreco, we try to always have at least an intern in each department including marketing, customer service, finance and HR.
We firmly believe that internships acts as a safe learning ground where interns are able to learn and grow. It is a hands-on training which enables them to learn new skills as well as nurture their capabilities which would be a valuable asset as they become a full-fledged employee.
Furthermore, interns are an excellent addition to any organization. They are full of energy, passionate for the future and just full of life, basically. Their vibrant personalities radiates positivity to any working environment which in return brightens those around them too! They are also a good source to acquire fresh, unbiased feedback on the organization. Their fresh way of thinking and observations can be used as an effort to refine the organisation to better fit the current workforce.
How to Celebrate Intern Day?
1. Express Your Appreciation
A simple "Thank you" goes a long way! And National Intern Day is a fantastic chance to be inventive and show our interns that we care while also showing appreciation.
Team leaders can initiate the first step by asking their employees to create cards or a message board to show their appreciation for all that the interns do for the organization. An excellent idea is to create a digital board on Miro for the intended interns with well wishes for them!
Now, thanks to the Internet, a pat on the back can be translated into a straightforward tweet thanking all of the interns. It has become a whole lot easier to recognise their efforts with a few words of appreciation. We’d recommend a short write-up to commend their hard work to be posted on LinkedIn. It’s a great way to boost their confidence and not to mention that it builds a good reputation of them for their future employers to reference to.
2. Team Building Activities
Team building activities complement the occasion well. Gather the team and build strong bonds between the team members. Make a point to hold programs that include everyone. Find a sport that everyone loves or throw a pizza party that they’ll surely appreciate. These types of team-bonding activities are a great way to introduce the interns to the whole company. It becomes an opportunity for them to really get to know everyone, build connections as well as understand the mechanisms of the company. In WFH settings, video conferencing with special programs planned would be a good way to retain employees’ sense of belonging to the company.
Here in Lyreco, we have NEON which is short for New Employee Orientation. In the program, besides every department introducing each of their team members, there are tons of activities planned for the participants too. This includes games, mini Q&A with prizes and also a day to experience other departments. This strengthens inter-department relationships and is just a great experience for new joiners of the company.
3. Talk To The Interns
Sometimes, too much can be expected from the interns. It must be understood that they are still students and this can very well be their first working experience. It helps a lot when their colleagues make an effort to understand the interns. Ask about their final-year project, enquire on their plans for their future career and give advices that are sure to help them. Asking our interns what they desired from their internship experiences would be excellent in addition to providing them parties and other surprises.
Guide them and bring them under your wings! Give feedbacks for their hardwork and compliments where its due. A good working environment is essential for an intern to flourish. Don’t forget to check in on the interns frequently and maybe have a more relaxed sit-down meeting with them regardless if it's National Intern Day or not. Interns can sometimes be a bit unsure as it’s a complete new experience for them so just give them a chance to let them shine.
Internships are the first stepping stone for an individual’s career, making them extremely valuable. However, no matter how important learning is during their internship, make their time with the company a good one. It leaves both parties with a wonderful and rewarding experience. In Lyreco, we welcome interns with open hands (We love our interns!). But don't take our word for it; see what our interns have to say instead: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6958622389656072192