Q: We want to make our work experience placements and internships accessible to a wider range of people. We’re worried they’re limited to those who can afford it. How can we address this?
A: In the pursuit of accessible work experience opportunities, HR leaders are presented with the usual recommendations:
● Offer paid opportunities instead of expecting people to work for free.
● Remove hidden participation costs such as travel or clothing.
● Broaden the talent pool beyond elite institutions and existing social connections.
These are important steps for all organisations. But they’re also predictable, because they address the symptoms of the issue, but not the root cause. Do these steps really create a pipeline for drawing in the best and brightest? Or do they act as a funnel for hiring in the image of incumbent leaders?
Read more: Unpaid internships should be illegal
Forward-thinking organisations will reconsider how their internships function; however the real opportunity is to reconsider the purpose of internships. Too often, this type of work relies on personal anecdotes from within an echo chamber instead of evidence. We encourage HR leaders to adopt a systematic approach to decision-making by gathering evidence from four key sources:
1. Research What does scientific literature reveal about inclusive internships? Not only can you find effective frames of reference, an affordable solution may be waiting for you that has already been rigorously tried and tested.
2. The organisation What evidence do you have to show your existing practices are accessible? It’s crucial this meets the highest standards within your organisation. Moving beyond traditional HR measures is a powerful starting point.
3. Professional expertise What can subject matter experts contribute to your design? You don’t have to be confined by your own expertise, and this doesn’t need to break your budget. Start with books, podcasts and other resources that distil actionable insights.
4. Stakeholders How are you gathering evidence from those affected by the decisions you make? Widen your enquiry beyond former interns and hiring managers. This step moves potential candidates from being passive recipients who are “grateful for the opportunity” to active contributors who inform better practices.
These four steps form the basis of our evidence-based inclusion practice. You can use them too.
It’s effective, because it means you can get buy in for your work, deliver results that matter and consistently make progress. Everything else is a distraction.
Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey is director of Element of Inclusion, an inclusion-focused advisory firm
This article was published in the January/February 2025 edition of HR magazine.
Subscribe today to have our latest articles delivered to your desk.
