If you’re working with a virtual intern for the first time, you may be wondering how someone can stay motivated and connected with your business from afar. Well, it is easier then you think! The first thing to remember is that your intern is probably very comfortable working in a virtual or remote setting, having grown up in the digital world. That being said, it still takes effort to sustain long term engagement. Here are a few tips on how to work with your virtual intern to ensure great results.

Be Clear About Goals: Unlike the situation where an intern is sitting two desks away from you and you can ask for help on different projects throughout the day, a virtual intern’s productivity is fully dependent upon getting clear direction from you. A good practice is to start every week, if not every day, by delegating and explaining projects that need to be completed. Remember, the onus is on you to make sure your intern has enough work to fill their day or week.

Track Progress: In addition to goal setting, put time on the calendar to check in with one another. Again, whether it is every day or every week, the purpose of these meetings is two-fold. First, you’re holding your virtual intern accountable to a schedule - same as with the other members of your team. Secondly, you’re providing a regular forum to answer questions and perhaps brainstorm with your intern.

Meet Face to Face: If you and your virtual intern live in close proximity to one another, try to set up some time to do your status updates in person. Or perhaps invite your virtual intern to watch you present to the client that you have been working on together. A little in-person interaction can go a long way in sustaining a productive working relationship. This is particularly true in the case where difficult discussions need to be had. We can all recall situations where conversations on email turned heated, whereas if the two people involved got on the phone or even sat down face to face, the escalation could have been avoided. If you location is preventing you from meeting in-person, try using a video teleconferencing program like Skype to add that personal interaction touch.

Don’t Forget the Fun Stuff: Do you order pizza for your office on Fridays or hold a summer cocktail hour? These are the instances where out of sight should certainly not be out of mind. Social occasions like these are the perfect chance to invite your virtual intern in for some face time.

Making a virtual intern feel like part of the team is an important aspect of this type of working relationship. Take the time to figure out what steps work best for you, your intern and your organization.