Great ideas come from all levels. That’s why we pride ourselves on giving our interns real-world professional experience and a chance to make a direct change from the bottom up. This year, two interns helped us launch a new employee recognition software called Nectar, that allows our team to reward one another with points and prizes.
Interns Lindsay Rust (LR) and Allison Davis (AD) played pivotal roles in both pitching and implementing Nectar. Their efforts are prime examples of how interns have influenced and improved our company. Here’s the story of how they launched this new initiative:
What was the summer internship project that led to the creation of Nectar?
LR: The summer internship project is essentially a way for interns to create a lasting impact here at Govig. At the beginning of the summer, we set out to find a way that Govig can improve with zero constraints as to what that might look like. We have 2 months to cultivate this idea, and at the end of the program, we get to present our idea to Govig executives, including Todd the CEO.
The project seemed intimidating at first, but it was so interesting to see how everyone had such a unique perspective and approach to solving problems. I think each intern and Govig grew from our input and fresh perspectives. Beyond making an impact, the summer internship project is also one of the best exercises to hone your sales presentation skills and helps to build confidence when speaking to people on a managerial level.
What led you to pitch an employee reward program, Lindsay?
LR: I was only one of two interns who worked remotely this summer. All the other interns worked in the office together, and that really impacted what my experience looked like. Many Govig employees are still working remotely or adhering to a hybrid modality, so I sought out a way to create a better sense of community and connectedness while everyone is spread out geographically. Additionally, sales can be very financially rewarding, but it can take months at a time to see results. An employee recognition program allows the small victories to be celebrated, which research shows helps motivate in achieving those long-term goals.
Allison, what was your role in integrating Nectar at Govig?
AD: After the summer interns has pitched the idea of Nectar to the executive team, their internship ended. The executive team really liked the idea so they asked me to do a comparative analysis between different employee recognition programs and find which one would work best for Govig. After presenting the options to the executive team, they decided on Nectar, and I got to work with the executive team and our contact at Nectar to help roll it out to the company.
A cool part of this experience for me was getting to hear the leaders at Govig talk about how much they wanted to encourage their employees and make sure even the little things were being recognized. That was really the heart of the Nectar project. It was such a great experience for me as an intern to get to see that I’m working for leaders who care about appreciating their employees.
Lindsay, how did you react when you saw Govig implement your idea?
LR: I found out that Govig was implementing Nectar on my first day back after taking off the fall semester. I was so excited! It’s very rewarding to know that my hard work paid off, and it also instills a lot of confidence to feel like I did my job as a salesperson and other people saw my vision.
Have you seen any improvements to the company since Nectar has rolled out?
AD: Yes! Having Nectar has encouraged recognition in our culture. People have a new way to express their appreciation and it’s nice to feel recognized in that way. It’s been a really fun platform to use too.
Our summer internship program resumes this June, and we cannot wait to see what new ideas emerge from our next round of final presentations! If you or someone you know is interested in our internship or full-time opportunities, be sure to visit our internal careers page: https://govig.com/executive-recruitment-specialists/internal-careers/