July 19, 2021
Internships play an essential part in many people’s career journeys. Companies across the country take on interns during the summer months to help manage the workload. In the past, interns may have been assigned menial tasks, but these days companies are delivering much more meaningful tasks. One great way to show some appreciation to your interns is to run events to celebrate National Intern Day.
Negative internship experiences can have an unwanted effect on companies, as the interns share their experiences with other people. This can lead to problems in recruitment with qualified candidates reluctant to apply. As with all contracted employees, interns need to feel valued and have meaningful work to do. Well-designed internship programs can benefit the intern while ensuring that your company remains an attractive place to work.
National Intern Day
National Intern Day started in 2017 and has since become an annual event. The event aims to celebrate the hard work that the often under-appreciated interns do for companies across the country. This year, the event will be celebrated on July 29th.
No matter whether you are currently running in-company or remote internship programs, there are lots of things that you can do to show some appreciation to your interns this National Intern Day.
Let’s Get Personal
One way to show your appreciation is to send the interns a personalized note or recognition certificate from senior management. You could even get senior management to record a short personalized video. This simple gesture will let the interns know that you appreciate the work they are doing and that they are a valuable team member.
Get The Team To Say Thank You
A simple thank you can go a long way! Team leaders can get staff to put together a card or board for their messages of thanks that all the interns do for them. This is a fantastic way to get creative and make a really meaningful gesture for your interns.
Focus on Wellness
Running some wellness activities such as meditation or a yoga session is a great way to help employees relax and de-stress. These sessions can be run remotely if needed and offer a great way to improve employee performance.
Fun Activities
Team building activities are a great way to celebrate National Intern Day. You could run themed Zoom calls or use quiz apps to create a pub quiz. If you are currently all working in the office, you could organize some outdoor activities such as a picnic or sports day that will help with team building and morale.
Bring The Team Together
Organizing some coffee chats or a cocktail evening is a great way to bring the team together. Pair up interns with staff members of other departments or managers so they can get to know other people in the company and ask any questions they might have.
Send Your Interns An Appreciation Gift Kit
This option gives you the chance to get creative by creating an appreciation gift kit that will mean something to your interns. You can fill the kit with useful items that they can use around the office or at home. Alternatively, you could add some fun items such as balloons and party favors which you can use for a virtual group activity.
If you would like some assistance in creating recognition programs for your interns or other team members, contact our team today.
