Should Companies Pay Interns and Set Standard Office Hours for Them?

Should Interns Be Paid by the Company?

In general, it is recommended that interns should be compensated for their work. However, the specific payment structure can vary depending on the company's policies and practices.

Office Hours for Interns

As for office hours, interns are typically expected to work a standard full-time schedule, which is usually around 40 hours per week. The exact hours may vary based on the company's operating hours and the nature of the internship.

It's important for companies to clearly communicate their policies regarding intern compensation and working hours to ensure a positive and fair experience for all parties involved.

Hi Shraddha, if interns are working full-time and truly adding value to the organization, yes, they can be paid. Regarding timing, it should be regular, similar to a full-time employee. The amount depends on the company and how much they can afford for this.

According to my point of view, an internship should be paid. It acts as a motivation, and you can always get their positive response. This makes them responsible for valuable output. The timing depends upon their subject; for example, a marketing person has to survey the market, and for HR, one should be in the office depending on the subject. However, it should not affect office work.

Paying interns or not is at the company's discretion. Most companies pay interns as it motivates them, while many do not but provide other benefits.

During my internship at a reputed firm, I was not paid for my tenure, despite working normal office hours. However, they compensated by offering canteen coupons, meal vouchers, and additional benefits. This support was more motivating than just a few bucks.

To each his own—I think if the company can afford it, it should pay. There is an image impact for companies that employ interns but don't pay. Of course, if the company is very small, it may not be concerned about the negative signals it gives out.

And then, the other question is why do you want to extract work from someone (okay, I know he is an intern and the output wouldn't be as much as an employee) without paying?

You have found the best ideas and suggestions so far. Here's my question to you: Why would you allow an intern into your office premises for a fixed duration if the intern has no value to add? I wholeheartedly agree; we endlessly complain about how little the interns are equipped to deliver! To an extent, these complaints are empty, as that's only why they are interning. Please find a definite program to employ the interns. Ensure you, as an employer, add value to their careers with learning and experience, as much effort as you may require from them. When there is an exchange of services, it's imperative to pay. Branding as an employer goes a long way. It doesn't always need you to win any award as 'the best employer' to be one, but implement best practices seamlessly. Wish you all the best!

Very well put by (Cite Contribution) 1979. If they are adding no value, why employ them, and if they are, better pay them. @Shah01ankita

I think "Either you are interested in working or you are running after money" is a lie, though a popular one, spread by evil companies out to exploit interns (okay, much dramatization!). Who says you can't do both—be interested in work plus want to be paid for your hard work? Why is the demand for compensation considered fair for an employee but not for an intern?

[QUOTE=bodhisutra;2058145]Very well put by (Cite Contribution) 1979. If they are adding no value, why employ them, and if they are, better pay them.

@Shah01ankita

I think "Either you are interested in working or you are running after money" is a lie, though a popular one, spread by companies out to exploit interns (okay, much dramatization!). Who says you can't do both - be interested in work plus want to be paid for your hard work?

Why is demand for compensation considered fair for an employee but not for an intern? I never said it is true for all. That was what was found true for the batch I learned with.

The Real Purpose of the Internship

- To have hands-on experience in a real-life job situation.
- To handle responsibilities under the guidance of a head so that you are able to handle them in the future when you become responsible for it.

When I was told this firm won't pay a penny, I had to take a chance. In my internship, I was actually made to learn a lot of HR things: how HR Auditing works, how employee engagement works, how to give presentations, how employees' grievances are handled. We were always invited and were allowed to take notes in the HR training sessions that were made for employees.

I just wanted to point out that just as you mention why can't it be both, likewise it is not necessary that the companies are looking out for cheap or free labor to get their mandated things done by the so-called interns. Sometimes (of course depending on the firms or perhaps I was too lucky to have experienced this) the firms have contributed to you more than just the money.

Just like a famous quote says - "Some people are so poor. All they have is just money."

All I wanted to say was while choosing an internship, do not go for the company that pays the highest stipend. Instead, go for one that would prepare you for your on-the-job role.

Hope I cleared my view.

Thanks

Just to add to the discussion:

- Paying or not paying interns should be governed by company policy, so frame one in your company to avoid such confusions in the future.

- An internship should be viewed as an opportunity for the intern to gain maximum exposure to the business/domain, and he/she should aim to extract the most out of it.

- The company should strive to provide good exposure and possibly a mentor/guide to the intern, attempting to present its professional image as it serves as the intern's first key interface with the corporate world.

- If an intern is being hired for a project, the company should pay.

- Sometimes, to accommodate someone's requests, an internship is offered; in such cases, a company may choose not to pay. Again, it's at the company's discretion. I have seen cases where interns were taken under this category, but as they performed well during their internship, the company decided to pay them at the end. It acted as a feel-good factor for the intern.

- Hence, the decision on the payment amount, timings, etc., can be made after discussions with the company core team. You may create a draft and share it with them. Also, you may categorize institutes and qualifications and decide on different pay ranges for interns from those institutes/qualifications.

Hope this helps.

Thanks!

Hi @Shah01ankita (Not really trying to get into a fight with you - appreciate your point much!) Totally agree with you that while selecting an internship, don't go by the biggest bundle of notes. Ditto for jobs.

From an intern's point of view, he should indeed think of the stipend as irrelevant. However, from a company perspective, it is simply not honorable to get someone to work for you and not pay - even if the company is adding much more to the intern than just money.

Some things (in fact, most that matter) are very simple - you ask someone to work for you, you pay. Black and white.