Why you should welcome interns like new employees 🤝
Internships provide an excellent opportunity for students and recent graduates to gain practical experience in their field of study, and for companies to identify potential future employees. However, it's not uncommon for companies to treat their interns as low-priority, entry-level employees, and fail to give them the same level of care and attention as they would to full-time staff, which can be a big mistake.
Here are some reasons why you should welcome your interns with the same level of care that you would a full-time employee:
- Welcome events make your interns feel valued and propel them to contribute meaningfully to your organization's growth
- It gives interns a positive perception of your company's culture and affects the internship program's outlook
- Interns may become your work partners in the future; it's best to start showing them the best of your work culture now, beginning with a welcome event
- It integrates them into the workflow in a more accessible way
- An excellent onboarding process will boost your company's image and help to build your brand
- It's a creative way to introduce interns to what your organization is all about
Host internship activities with Confetti! Check out our Interns collection to get started.
How do you welcome new interns virtually?
While welcoming interns is essential, the process may seem like a difficult task. You may worry about your ability to pull it off, especially when you're facilitating a virtual internship program. It's important to create opportunities for remote interns to connect with other team members and participate in company culture, such as virtual team building activities or social events. By taking these steps, companies can welcome and support remote interns, and help them to have a positive and valuable experience.
TL;DR — Top 2 experiences to welcome new interns
Here are the top two events to welcome new faces to your internship programs:
1. Best way to mix full-time employees & new interns: Office Olympics 🎯
All of your favorite Confetti games in one virtual Office Olympics.
Participants will be categorized into four teams, with each team having a Team HQ breakout room. Each breakout room will play a series of mini trivia games simultaneously while swapping in and out of the rooms to play different games. Every participant earns points for their team, and whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins.
How to get started 👉 Plan a round of Office Olympics for your new team members!
2. Best way for interns to bond: Plug and Play Mixer 📱
With Plug and Play Mixer, you’re about to witness amazing bonds being created!
A virtual host comes on board to oversee a series of fun getting-to-know-you games that get your interns talking on a personal level. For a more effective bonding process, interns will move around breakout rooms and be paired with different participants to answer personal and group-share prompts. This experience gets the whole team interacting with Zoom technology, as well as each other, for some interactive fun!
How to get started 👉 Mix and mingle in our Plug and Play Mixer!
Here are 7 more virtual internship team building activities:
3. Drag Queen Bingo 👸
There's no more lively way to say "great to have you on board" than with one of our fantastic drag queen hosts.
The whole team will enjoy a live game of virtual bingo and get to enjoy stellar performances from our drag queen bingo host. The game and performance include three rounds of bingo, a delightful drag show, amusing commentary, and plenty of laughs.
How to get started 👉 Hop onto the video call for a game and a show in Drag Queen Bingo.
4. Virtual Trivia Party 🎉
Enjoy some brainy quizzes for team bonding that's a fun and educational activity.
Our Trivia Games consist of four trivia rounds and a live quiz host with unbeatable energy. Categories include pop culture, sports, history, and more — but you can also build your own Trivia experience in Custom Trivia!
How to get started 👉 Put your critical thinking to the test with a Virtual Trivia Party!
5. Vision Board Workshop 🔧
What better way for interns to visualize and manifest their dreams than with a Vision Board Workshop?
A live facilitator will lead the team through imaginative goal-setting and graphic representation sessions. The first session comprises guided meditation, reflection, and journaling to broaden their perspectives. In the second half, the participants will represent their goals graphically and share their vision boards.
How to get started 👉 Visit the Vision Board Workshop to get started goal-setting.
6. Lunch Party 🍜
Where are the foodies at? This is one exciting happy hour for you. 🍕
Participants get to choose their preferred meals via a secret promo code. Then, since the group doesn't have to worry about making lunch, everyone can hop into a call and enjoy a laid-back team bonding lunch!
How to get started 👉 Grab your plates and glide gracefully to a Lunch Party with Confetti.
7. Guess Who... 🤔
In Guess Who, your interns will get to know each other in a fun and personal way.
Before the virtual event, you'll collect facts and photos from the participants via a submission form. At the event, your game host will display an interactive slideshow of the pictures and facts, and everyone will have to guess what fact belongs to whom.
How to get started 👉 Get to know each other in a rousing game of Guess Who!
8. Two Truths and a Lie 💃🕺
In Two Truths and a Lie, participants will have to hone their communication and listening skills to decide where their colleagues are lying. This game is a fun get-to-know-you icebreaker game that also helps interns reflect on their own experiences, values, and interests, and share them with others. This helps foster a sense of authenticity and vulnerability among interns, helping them connect on a deeper level and build trust with each other.
How to get started 👉 Get to know your team in Two Truths and a Lie!
9. Culture Club: Self Doubt to Self Confidence
Throw a welcome event that puts some pep in your interns' steps!
Culture Club: Self-Doubt to Confidence is an interactive workshop that gives interns valuable opportunities for self-reflection, team-building, and adventure scenarios, to help them build their confidence, overcome self-doubt, and better succeed in their roles. By promoting a positive and inclusive team culture and equipping interns with tools to boost their confidence, you are setting them up for success not only during their internship but also in their future careers.
How to get started 👉 Give your interns a boost in Culture Club: Self Doubt to Self Confidence!
10. Escape Quest
Challenge your interns to work together in a virtual Escape Quest.
This interactive virtual escape room experience will push interns to think creatively in order to problem-solve and make it out in the allotted time. This experience will allow your interns to let their skill sets shine while working collaboratively towards a common goal. It’s the perfect event to make your team feel like they’re in the same room, even when playing far away.
How to get started 👉 Encourage your interns to work together to solve this Escape Quest!
In addition to activities and games, here are 4 bonus ways to make sure your virtual internship program reflects your company culture:
1. Support interns with employee mentors
Designating an employee mentor for each intern can help virtual interns build their professional network and learn from experienced professionals within the company. By working closely with senior employees, interns can gain insights into the company culture, learn about different career paths, and receive more direct feedback on their work.
In addition to supporting professional development, employee mentors provide emotional and psychological support to interns, which boosts morale and makes them more receptive to your organization's work culture. This guidance and support can be especially important when working remotely, by being there to answer their questions and provide advice on how to succeed in their role despite not being with the team in person.
2. Send them a company swag bag & other goodies
Show your interns you're glad to have you on the team with an employee appreciation gift! It's one of the best ways to get them excited and feel included in a short time. Sending a gift shows that your company sees, values, and appreciates its interns, which can help to create a positive and inclusive culture. By demonstrating that interns are an important part of the team, you can help to build a sense of belonging and foster engagement among interns.
How to get started 👉 Bring a smile to your interns' faces with a surprise from our Gifting & Swag collection!
3. Motivate interns through regular check-ins
Check-ins allow you to provide regular feedback and support to your interns, which can help them to learn and grow in their roles. By providing constructive feedback, you can help your interns to improve their skills and identify areas for development, which can benefit them in their future careers.
Also, check-ins allow you to monitor your intern's progress and ensure that they are meeting the goals and objectives of their internship program. By tracking their progress, you can identify any issues or concerns early on and take action to address them, as well as assess your internship experience for future participants.
4. Encourage mixers between employees and interns
Mixers can provide your interns with valuable opportunities to network, learn from experienced professionals, and gain insights into the company culture and work environment. These interactions can also help engage interns, build their confidence, and increase their sense of belonging and inclusion within the organization.
Plan your intern team building activities with Confetti 🥂
If you want to ask your interns to "be part of the team," you've got to invest in their experience, professional development, and well-being. Luckily for you, our virtual events will get you on the right track.
Schedule a call to discuss internship event ideas with the Confetti team today!
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