Few organizations in China have Internship programs that are thoroughly conceptualized and implemented by the company. Instead, internships are approached on an ad-hoc basis and Interns are hired mostly to off-set headcount shortages. As a result, companies may face low Intern satisfaction scores and consequently high Intern turnover rates that invariably create disturbances to team effectiveness while training efforts do not pay off.
Therefore, it would be beneficial for organizations to design an Internship program that would help the company position itself as a good Employer and not as an exploiter of cheap labor, achieve consistent and quality experiences for Interns, and give Managers a roadmap for Internship arrangements. In order to do so, proper consideration must be given to the following questions:
• What are the expected benefits of the program to the company?
• What are the expected benefits of the program to the Interns?
• What are the objectives of the Intern program?
• How long should the Internship take to be recognized as a valuable experience?
• Who are eligible candidates? What are the minimum requirements?
• What could be the benefits of offering Internship positions to overseas Chinese or foreigners?
• What is the selection process for an Internship position?
• What sort of induction program would be helpful for the Intern to gain a comprehensive understanding of the department, team, and business?
• Should an Intern work on a specific project or help out with any added workload that emerges? What should be the Interns’ tasks?
• Should Interns work OT? How much OT is normal or permitted?
• Should Interns be allowed to use their personal computers at work?
• What level of remuneration appears to be fair for the value Interns create during their Internship?
• What are the expectations of Managers? To what degree will Managers be held responsible for creating a positive and rewarding experience for the Intern?
• What is the most appropriate approval process?
• What quality control tools will be instituted (e.g. Intern Satisfaction Survey, Intern Exit Interview)?
No comments:
Post a Comment