Creating a successful internship program starts with knowing that your interns are a lot like plants. Yep, we said it––plants.

They’re planted into new positions. They add to the cohesive garden of the company. You have to check on and assist their progress to yield the best results. And, under the right conditions, interns can grow to great heights.  So, how do you grow your strongest interns and create a successful internship program?

Follow these simple steps to grow your interns to their fullest potential.

Step One: Create the Right Environment

Just like plants, interns need the right conditions to thrive. This starts at the soil, at the very base of where the seed is planted. For interns, this means a fertile and well-tailored internship program. 

If you’re growing a seed, you choose your pot and soil before planting. If you’re hiring an intern, you set up your program and figure out the parameters before planting them into the position. 

To do that, start by communicating standards and expectations ahead of time. Talk with your interns about what they’re looking to get out of the program. Gauge their interests to decide what type of base soil you should use to best utilize their time at your company, whether that means determining what projects they would most contribute to or enjoy. Establish time commitments and expectations at the seedling’s beginning.

Then make it clear by answering these questions and communicating that to your intern(s).

• What’s the intern’s role and responsibilities?
• Who will they work with? And who do they report to?
• What projects will they work on?
• How and when should they be communicating? (Via Slack, email, Teams?)
• What skills will those projects help them develop?
• How will those skills set them up for success in their career?

Step Two: Water – But Just a Sprinkle

Your seed is beginning to sprout and your intern is beginning to adjust to the office. It’s important not to drown them too early. 

As your interns start their program, it’s crucial that you start low and go slow. Give the interns pieces of projects that introduce them to the work they will be doing instead of the full thing right out of the gate.

Clarify your expectations on the role and responsibilities at different stages: from the first week, to the first month, all the way to the final month.

If you have time, onboard your interns so they can experience and understand what your company does at the level any full-time employee would.

You wouldn’t want to over water your seedlings, so don’t overwork your starting interns. 

Step Three: Feed and Fertilize

During the growing process, you have to feed your plant. During an internship, you have to offer continuous support to your hardworking (and often confused) interns. 

Find thyme (time) to check on your interns often. Schedule weekly meetings to go over progress and questions that your intern faces. If staffing allows, have a designated member of your team act as the point person to your interns, so they know exactly who to reach out to when asking for help outside of their manager.

Step Four: Set Up Roots, Find a Field for Your Intern

Your plant is beginning to grow and your intern is beginning to get the hang of their work. It’s time for them to establish their roots. But that means experimenting with different soils and different projects before finding the most fertile area for them to set up. 

SNP’s Director of Project Management and resident plant-doctor, Aiza Bonus-Robino, started as an intern herself. She offered insight on how to best raise healthy plants as well as how to create the most fruitful experience for interns. Her advice: 

“The most important step to grow as an intern is to try to get your foot into as many projects as you can. You learn along the way what you really want to do. Even if it’s something that you think you might not be interested in, once you try it out, you may be like, wait, I do actually like this.”

– Aiza

Give your interns different types of projects so they can flex different types of skills and work with a variety of people. If that’s not possible, help them find time with cross-functional coworkers to learn about their roles. This will set them up for success in figuring out what they want to do long term.

After exposing your intern to different fields and projects, communicate with them to find what direction they would like to go in. Find where they want to establish their roots and put them in a place where they will grow to their highest potential.

Step Five: Keep It Sunny

You want your growing plant to be happy. Hopefully, you want the same for your interns. A big part of plant growth is giving them the right amount of sun, just like a big part of intern happiness relies on a bright office culture. 

Whether that office is in person, on Zoom, or somewhere in between, there are a few simple ways to maintain a sunny corporate culture. 

1. Be forgiving. This may be the first real job for some of your interns. Even if it’s not, it can be difficult to get adjusted to new work and a new environment. Your interns will probably (definitely) mess up sometimes. 
2. Give constructive feedback. Interns WANT to grow. Let them know what they’re doing right and how they can improve.
3. Be human. Interns are people too. Making small talk, cracking jokes and revealing that you have a life outside of work (shocker!) goes a long way. Flaunt your company’s personality. 

Step Six: Remember that it’s a learning process

No plant is the same. No intern is either. Expert Aiza’s biggest piece of advice: 

“The most important step is realizing what each plant needs, because every single plant is different and it’s a lot of trial and error.”

– Aiza

Sometimes plants need different things. Different soil, watering patterns, even sun levels. Pay attention to your interns just like you would pay attention to a plant.

If your intern isn’t growing how you might expect, attack the problem at the root. Talk to your intern and use active listening to see what’s interrupting their growth. Offer support and work with your intern to improve their work and experience. 

So there you have it…

Interns are a lot like plants. They require a stable environment, water, and fertilizer to keep them healthy and growing. Based on their unique needs, they find their fields and establish roots. And they appreciate sunny conditions and happy surroundings. And no intern is the same. 

From setting up the soil to using active listening to change conditions, use these steps to ensure maximum growth for your interns and create a successful internship program. Because every abundant garden starts with healthy seedlings.

The post How to Grow Your Interns & Create a Successful Internship Program appeared first on SNP Communications.

When you’re behind a screen, you don’t have to worry about what your hands are doing, no one’s in your space, and most of your energy only has to go to exaggerating your facial expressions to respond to what someone else is saying. After an in-person interaction, you feel drained to the point that a 15 minute conversation necessitates an hour long recuperation period. 

As we return to in-person work, it’s time to get back to basics. Here are three things you can do to set yourself up for success when interacting with people face-to-face, from a basic conversation to recovering after a long day. Let’s get buzzy with a Bee’s Knees from the Back to Basics Bar.

Return to In-Person Work: A Recipe for a Bee’s Knees

• ½ ounce active listening honey syrup 
• 1 ounce lemon juice (about ½ medium lemon)
• 2 ounces gin
• Lemon twist, for garnish

1. To make the honey syrup: Combine equal parts honey and water (say, 2 tablespoons each if you’re only making a few cocktails) in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Warm in the microwave or over the stovetop just until you can completely stir the honey into the water. Set aside.
2. Before juicing your lemons, use a vegetable peeler or channel knife to peel off a strip(s) of zest for your twist.
3. To make the cocktail, fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the honey syrup, lemon juice and gin. Securely fasten the lid and shake until the mixture is very cold, about 30 seconds.
4. Strain the drink into a coupe or martini glass. Twist the lemon peel over the cocktail to release some of its oils, then drop it in. Enjoy cold.

Step One: Bee Prepared. 

Make your active listening honey syrup by combining equal parts honey and water in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan, then warming in the microwave or stovetop until just combined. 

Like our honey syrup, interactions should be equal and sweet. Instead of taking over or losing interest in conversations, use active listening to set yourself up for better, less self-focused communications as you return to in-person work.

If a conversation was a tennis match, we often focus on rallying back what we want to say rather than paying attention to our partner’s serve. For good conversation, listen to understand. Take on a “listen more, talk less mindset”. 

A tool for active listening is the edit back, or rephrasing what someone is saying back to them.  

For example:

• Person A: “Do you have any exciting plans for this weekend?” 
• Person B: “I think I’m going to binge-watch Queer Eye with my partner. I’m pretty excited.”
• Person A: “You’re going to watch Queer Eye with your partner and you’re excited,”
• Person B: “Yeah, I’ve been wanting to watch it forever, but never got the chance because I’ve been busy with work. I’ve heard good things and thought this would be the perfect time!”

After editing back, you get one of three responses. 

1. “Yes”, to which you can ask open-ended questions like “Tell me more” or “What else should I know?” to go deeper.
2. “Yes and…”, such as in the example above. 
3. Or, “Actually I meant….”, correcting you.

However the edit back goes, you learn more about the person and give them space to elaborate. 

Step Two: Shake it up, don’t get shaken up.

Fill your cocktail shaker with ice, and then pour in your active listening honey syrup, lemon juice, and gin. Fasten the lid and shake, shake, shake.

Being back in-person means being back…in-person. You now have to physically interact and be present in front of everyone. What do you do with your hands? How do you act? Don’t let being in-person shake you. Use these six skills to look and feel more confident:

1. Speak up. Level your volume to make sure you’re heard and understood, especially when you are presenting or acting in a leadership role. Being a good communicator means many things, and it all starts with being heard. 

2. Dress the part. You’re no longer allowed to rock a blazer on top and pajama pants on bottom. Being in person means people are physically seeing you, so present appropriately for whatever setting you’re in. 

3. Stand still. Avoid fidgeting and no pacing. Find a comfortable position and stay there. 

4. Pay attention. Put down the computer and turn your phone on Do Not Disturb. During online meetings, many of us are guilty of two tab-ing, of checking emails while pretending to listen to whoever is speaking. In person, you can’t get away with this. So distance yourself from distractions. 

5. You can never go wrong with a handshake. If you’re introducing yourself and are unsure of the setting, choose what you’re going to do and stick to it. Whether that’s a fistbump or an awkward hug, stand by what you choose – don’t change as it’s happening. But handshakes are pretty universally acceptable. 

6. Remember to make eye contact. This one just makes sense. 

Step Three: Strain and Chill. 

Strain your drink and put in a chilled glass. Twist the lemon peel over the cocktail to release some of its oils, then drop it in. Enjoy.

You’ve made your drink and now it’s time to sit back and relax. 

Adjusting back to in person interactions is hard, not just logistically but socially and emotionally. Our social muscles are not what they used to be, and exercising them feels more laborious than ever. Sometimes you just need quiet time

Rest should be a priority during this time. Transitioning back into in-person can be exhausting. Here are 3 ways to incorporate rest into your routine: 

1. Block extra time after an in-person event to both commute (yea, that’s a thing again) and to decompress. 
2. Take a break while in-person. Find a quiet corner and take 10-15 minutes to listen to some music, a podcast, even a meditation. 
3. Play hooky! Pick one day in the next month or so to take off. Extra points if it’s after you complete a big project.

 Above all, focus on your needs as we begin to bee together again. 

Finally, Sip and Reflect on Your Return to In-Person Work Prep Plan

Getting back into in-person work is hard, but if you stick to the basics, you’ll get through it. Using active listening and good physical skills helps the adjustment period, and remembering to take your rest is crucial as you embark on this chapter. 

Always remember that if you feel awkward, so does everyone else. We’re all adjusting back into being in person, and it’s weird for everyone. Lean into it and don’t be afraid to just go for it.

You’ve gotten back into in person interactions and now it’s time to sit back and relax. Preferably with a chilled bev. 

The post The Back to Basics Bar’s Bee’s Knees appeared first on SNP Communications.