An intern is always late and causing troubles at office, how to handle this situation?

Question

I work in the HRD of an advertising company (I'm new). The intern works at art/creative department.

Since two months ago, an Intern (a college student) has been doing his apprenticeship at my office, as a part of his university curriculum, the students a that college are required to take part in one year internship program before they begin their final thesis. The college has a partnership with various companies, including ours. We give reports about his progress to the university. As an intern he didn't get paid like an employee other than $15/week for transportation, but our company always treat intern like they are regular employees especially comes to company rules and work protocols. I would describe this intern as:

- He is definitely very talented, we usually give interns lighter tasks than what we give to regular employees but he's kinda a special case, after 1 month working, we had trusted him our most important projects and he has been successfully accomplished them.

- He's willing to stay in the office until very late, take extra work to home, or does them during weekends without complain.

But the downside is:

- He's always late, up to 15-20 minutes everyday. The reason is probably because he commute everyday, his house is in the suburb 50 miles from the city (where our office is) and our city has heavy traffic jams, whilst most of us lives across the street or 10 minutes max. (he drives his own car)

- Some (not all) other employees starting to dislike him, telling me that it's not acceptable of him coming to work late everyday. This also fueled by his appointment (by my boss) to be a junior art director which practically made him second in charge in the design department, while the rest of the employees who have been working for more than a year still stuck in various positions below him.

I have talked to him regarding this issue and he said that he's very sorry for causing friction and will try his best to arrive early, he gave me the throw down of his daily schedule:

- he leaves home at 6 AM
- he arrives at his University at 6.30 for daily briefing and reports, the Uni opens around that time
- he leaves Uni at 7 AM
- he arrives at the office at 9.15-9.20 AM (our office hour is 9-5)
- other employees leave work at 5-6 PM, the creative director/owner and the intern usually stay until 7 - 9 PM to evaluate that day's work (this is the owner's request)
- he arrives home at 8 - 10 PM

For two weeks after he started to come on time, but last friday he told me that he got warning from his college for not attending morning briefings regularly.

I feel bad for him because I wouldn't dream being in his position but we can't lose other staffs just because one person right? Plus there's a clear favoritism going on especially by the creative director.

What do you think is the solution, should I write to the university about his behavior?

Answer 1

You should have no qualms about firing him. You will be doing him a favour. He will learn sooner rather than later that you can't show up late for work, no matter how amazing and incredible your excuses are. This is the real world, and Mr. Intern can't be coddled. Can't get to work on time? Tough cookies.

Answer 2

I believe you should propose to your boss that they make exemptions to this child. We do not want him to discontinue from graduating right? He is an funding if you wish to soak up him. The companies i know that accepts interns aren't uptight with their sched cause interns are just interns. They don't seem to be owned. Am just a little amazed that he's working for terribly lengthy hours.

Answer 3

seems like u and other workers are just jealous. he is late not because he sleeps long hours, he goes to university prior to work. this is not his fault he is late and he DOES stay longer hours. and there is NOTHING wrong with his behavior. he is excellent

Answer 4

He stays an extra 4 hours, travels over 50 MILES, leaves his house at 6 AM, and HE'S NOT GETTING PAID.



And you're complaining he's late by 15 minutes??? HE STAYS AN EXTRA 4 HOURS.

Answer 5

He apparently is required to first attend daily briefings at the university before coming on to work, so I don't see where writing the university about his "behavior" would be useful or even make any sense.

Maybe his work starting time could be adjusted to 9:30 a.m., which shouldn't be such a big deal anyway since this intern often stays well past "quitting" time.

I think the problem here is NOT with the underpaid, overachieving, talented intern but with your permanent staff who seem to be suffering from collective jealousy and/ or envy. Tell the others what the intern does and doesn't do is none of their business, especially since your boss seems more than satisfied. If any of the disgruntled want to quit, well, hey, there's a brilliant intern who easily take their place.

Answer 6

I think that it might be an idea to say that him having to attend the university before he goes into work is causing the problem, because this is how I see it.



If an arrangement could possibly be made for him to receive his briefing my e-mail or text message instead, it would mean that he could drive straight to the office, and would not be late. Talk to the intern about this, and see if something could be arranged. If he is this good, you'd rather he ended up working for your company full-time. Then he could find himself a place to live much closer.

Answer 7

If his 'behavior' is being stuck in traffic, then you should write to the University and see if he can't reschedule or move his morning briefings. He's driving his own car, paying for gas/repairs/etc, and making a 2+ hour commute one way everyday ($15/week doesn't even begin to cover that). He then works 2-3 hours more than regular PAID employees, in addition to work he takes home and does on the weekends. Oh, and the University is most certainly charging him money for the credit he's receiving. I don't see a lot of room for other employees to complain, unless he is hindering their work by being 15 minutes late. It sounds like they have complained about an rather insignificant detail because he has attained a position of power in a short time and they may resent that.



If he's capable of being on time and I misunderstood the timing of his morning commute, then you need to tell him that it's important that he's on time.



I would tell the other employees to focus on their work and not to worry about the interns morning activities.

Answer 8

What country are we talking about here?



In the united states there's usually a chain of command that things are supposed to follow for things like this. I don't see the big deal actually, he just needs to leave his house at 5:30 to maintain the schedule there at where ever you are located. It sounds like a big city, so the traffic is different and unpredictable....but if he is constantly late by 20 minutes, then he needs to leave 20 minutes earlier.



If he's not being paid, then why is everyone else in the office whining about it? This kid isn't in charge of anything....he's not an employee, so technically he's not bound to all the office-political-bullcrap everyone else seems to be. The other employees need to understand this and maybe act like adults and not children?? When this kid's internship is over he will leave, and work elsewhere, but if he does work there then he can be held to the standards everyone else is held to.

Answer 9

Wow, Aren't you a self righteous ditch. The guy lives outside the city and makes an effort to create a career for himself. He stays late and you complain about him being 15 minutes late. Maybe you should get a job for the communist party or something. You should forward me his resume. You, on the other hand should try to relax. Get laid or something.

Answer 10

1. If the intern is doing a good job, and making a contribution, and helping the team, you should probably just be happy he's there picking up the slack. After all, he ISN'T REALLY AN EMPLOYEE, and he ISN"T GETTING PAID.



2. If this is really bothering everyone, you need to speak to whoever hired him. That person can speak to him, or contact the college. Do NOT jump into something which you really have no authority over, or you will lose. Just speak to the person responsible for him being there.

Answer 11

The intern shd have made it clear at the outset that he had to attend these meetings and cld not be in until----whatever. Then this wld not have happened. Get him to sort it out now.



Mo