Businesses that effectively manage interns can help develop them into well-rounded workers that stay with the business long-term, reducing the organisation’s overall recruitment costs.
Leslie Tarnacki, VP and GM of Human Resources, WFS: A WorkForce Software Company (WFS Australia), said, “Interns see their time at a company as an opportunity to learn. By scheduling them to work alongside employees in a variety of jobs, they gain more experience and learn the workplace culture. This gives them the opportunity to develop their skills while giving the organisation an opportunity to see whether the intern will be a good fit long-term.”
Technologies that automate the scheduling process can ensure interns get a broader experience and a better understanding of how the business works as a whole.
The recent cases of Australian businesses facing penalties for unpaid internships should be enough reason for organisations to review the effectiveness of their intern payroll system. Automated workforce management systems ensure that all employees, including interns, are paid accurately for their hours worked. This is another key element in treating interns as valuable assets and encouraging them to remain engaged.
Leslie Tarnacki said, “Given the current skills crisis in Australia, organisations should see interns as potential long-term employees. Schedule interns to work alongside mentors to help develop their knowledge and skillsets, and keep them engaged. It is important that organisation invest in developing interns as it helps them be more productive in their role, prepares them for full-time work, and helps them to feel more valued by the business, and therefore more loyal.”
