For companies, it’s a chance to tap into a pool of potential future candidates and leverage their skills to accomplish immediate goals. For interns, it’s an opportunity to earn practical job experience, deepen skill sets and absorb the corporate culture. For both, it’s a chance to “test-drive” a business partnership to determine if it could ultimately lead to a long-term, perfect fit.

Despite this mutual value, relocation and accommodation aren’t always emphasized when planning an internship program. Instead, focus is placed on things like intern selection, program objectives, and training. Neglecting these core elements is a risky move because mobility and housing benefits can prove a key differentiator for attracting the best and brightest intern talent. Here’s why:

Duty of Care in Internships

Housing or temporary accommodations is the largest category of spend in most internship programs. It is a crucial consideration for interns (and often their parents) in deciding whether to accept an internship. Housing is also a vital component of your interns’ safety and well-being – duty of care, if you will – so housing options should reflect this. Remember that this is your interns’ first impression of your company’s culture as their potential future employer.

Often, the intern demographic is considerably different from an organization’s “typical” mobile workforce, which may be older, more senior in job level, or require more traditional benefits (think home sale/purchase or dependent support). It is vital that any company considering drafting an internship mobility policy—or at least detailing the benefits that may be offered to interns—understands its unique intern population and the specific intent of its program.

The Complexities of Intern Housing

Increasingly, companies are offering housing benefits to their interns and are employing practices that are unique to this demographic. Many companies will pay for all of the housing costs of the internship — while this is most common in the oil and gas industry and large organizations, it is sometimes seen among other industries and mid-size firms as well. On the other hand, some organizations, particularly those with very competitive intern programs, require their interns to contribute to the cost of housing. This is often a fixed amount, ranging from $250 to $600 per month.

Since intern demographics are considerably different from the rest of the workforce, shared accommodations are generally encouraged (or required), but it is critical that companies have a formal system in place to ensure that roommates are matched in an inclusive manner. As a best practice, shared accommodations should contain separate bedroom and bathroom facilities for each person, and keep in mind that most tenants prefer to be placed with the same gender. To ensure that the organization respects all individuals and demonstrates its commitment to diversity and inclusion, all interns should complete a roommate profile to better understand their preferences.

Given the complexities around this one benefit, the majority of organizations will work with a corporate housing provider when developing intern programs.

Marian Sauers, Global Director at Weichert Corporate Housing, has worked with many companies to create mobility programs tailored specifically to internship goals and requirements. She points out that working with an experienced provider is vital for organizations with extensive intern needs, especially those based in an urban area with a higher number of intern programs or limited housing options.

Companies with large or complex intern programs are more likely to require a high volume of housing options, often concentrated around a specific geographic location, since many interns rely on public transportation,” Marian explains. “In addition, these programs will have unique billing needs. Partnering with a provider that can facilitate payments and reporting will help ensure your intern program costs are contained and effectively monitored. A trusted partner handling your intern housing logistics also frees the organization up to focus on the broader intern program.” Marian Sauers, Global Director, Business Development, Weichert Corporate Housing

The Bottom Line

When managed right, internships are a long-term strategy for getting the right people in the door. A positive “first impression” extends beyond the program and includes the overall experience. A customized intern housing strategy with an experienced partner will help you balance costs while solidifying your reputation as an employer of choice for tomorrow’s talent!

Hungry for more insight? Stay tuned for Part II of this blog post as we break down the top reasons why fully-furnished corporate apartments are an ideal, cost-effective housing option for your incoming interns.