Nurture Talent From the Ground Up

What has working with interns taught you about employee relationships?

Many of your organizations are no doubt in the midst of hosting interns across your businesses, which oftentimes represents one of the most thoughtfully designed entry points into companies.

There is onboarding. There are cohorts. Managers are accessible.  Interns are given a variety of projects, exposure, opportunities to shadow and network, and get a real feel for the organization and their products and services.  Companies strive to create a strong, relatable experience.

And then, too often, that intentionality drops off the moment talent officially joins full-time. That is where the real question begins.

In our conversations with HR executives, business leaders, managers,  career center faculty, parents, students, interns, and early-career talent,  we consistently hear that once the internship ends and the real job begins, the realities of work take hold quickly: constrained middle managers, limited feedback, unclear expectations, uncertainty around communication norms, and benefits that were built for a different generation.

As we know, the world of work is moving faster than ever. AI, transformation, and constant change are intensifying pace, workload, and uncertainty - often without ample context or attention to the people side of the equation. The result takes multiple forms:  weaker productivity, slower ramp-up, lower retention, rising disengagement,  and focus on simply getting tasks done.

This is where executives need to lean in.

If organizations are willing to invest in internships as high-touch, developmental experiences, why does that model so often disappear once talent is hired? Why are companies not asking what should be preserved - culturally,  across the organization, and in day to day dealings - setting aligned expectations, guidance on priority setting, and reinforcing the importance of effective collaboration and networking?

The organizations that get this in place have executive leaders who see around the corner, understand what the future workforce will require, and deliberately align culture, hospitality, and the employee experience with the organization they are trying to build. They will also engage those on point for these initiatives to perpetuate a workplace that doesn't lose its spark.

 My closing question for you...

What would change if your organization sustained the same intentionality it brings during “internship season” across the wider employee experience?