Intern Retention: Training, Mentoring, and Long-Term Loyalty

The Nature of Internships and Development Programs

How do you plan for the future and give employees the job satisfaction and incentive to stay long term, for the promise of a continually successful career? When high-potential people quit after their internship and two-year development program, do you write them off — or do you woo them back?

Interns in every workplace are often the subject of frequent jokes, the allegation being that they merely "get coffee" rather than engage in substantive, meaningful work. The typical agreement between an intern and a company is that an intern — usually someone young, almost always inexperienced, and invariably eager to gain knowledge of a particular field — agrees to work for little or no pay in exchange for building their résumé and gaining experience in their chosen field. The subsequent two-year development program serves as a transitional phase between the training period and permanent employment.

Creating a Positive Intern Experience

However, retention may be difficult if the employee who has devoted time and effort to the workplace feels that he or she did not receive the education desired and was merely treated like a glorified administrative assistant. "With the right program, interns will stay with the company upon graduation. While many companies have internship programs, the few that focus on quality of experience and intern retention enjoy the best returns on investment" (Recruiting News, 2008). A good return on investment from an intern means that the intern remains with the company to justify the training expense, while also adding value through his or her later work.

First and foremost, the intern must feel as though he or she would enjoy coming to work every day during the internship and training experience. An intern who observes unhappy coworkers or full-time employees who regret their employment is unlikely to stay. Second, the intern must feel comfortable with his or her supervisor. The supervisor's attitude must communicate that he or she views the intern as an asset.

Non-Financial Motivators and Mentorship

"The ability of the employee to speak his or her mind freely within the organization is another key factor in employee retention. Does your organization solicit ideas and provide an environment in which people are comfortable providing feedback? If so, employees offer ideas, feel free to criticize, and commit to continuous improvement. If not, they bite their tongues or find themselves constantly in trouble — until they leave" (Heathfield 2008, p. 1). Although an intern is just "learning the ropes," if he or she feels that they are contributing to the organization, that their ideas and opinions are solicited, and that they are a valued member of the team, they will want to remain on that team.

The future prospect of a high-paying position and attractive benefits will obviously factor into an employee's decision to remain with a company, but these considerations are not the only factors. Indeed, an intern's willingness to work for little or no pay is a tribute to the individual's hunger to learn and to make a real commitment to the future of an organization. But no one interns merely for the joy of word processing and serving for free.