Fostering a Supportive Remote Culture

Leadership Signals That Make a Difference

• Be visible and approachable: Short check-ins, brief updates, and acknowledging effort help interns feel supported.
• Balance empathy with accountability: Understanding personal circumstances while reinforcing expectations builds trust and reliability.
• Clarify support networks: Let interns know who they can turn to, such as a buddy, supervisor, or their Placement Success Advisor, so they feel comfortable asking for guidance.

Structural Supports That Keep Interns Grounded

• Intentional onboarding: Share a short culture overview that explains communication norms, meeting etiquette, and how to seek help.
• Predictable touchpoints: Set consistent rhythms such as weekly mentor check-ins, weekly team show and tell, and a daily or weekly async status update depending on project pace.

Communication Rituals That Build Connection

• Purposeful meetings: Keep meetings short with agendas sent in advance, and share a one-line summary afterward.
• Use async strategically: Async updates work well for routine progress. Reserve live conversations for collaboration and relationship building.
• Encourage teach-back: Ask interns to restate tasks in one sentence to confirm understanding and promote clarity.

Measure and Iterate

• Light weekly pulse: Ask interns one quick question about workload or clarity and adjust if you notice patterns.
• Monthly supervisor review: Take a moment to reflect on what is working, including rituals, task design, and communication, and refine where needed.