When Internship Politics Turn Toxic: Navigating Workplace Favouritism

Internships should be about learning, growing, and building your future in the creative industry. But what happens when office politics and favouritism make you question your worth and abilities?

This question was answered by Andy Wright, Founder of Never Not Creative and CEO of Streamtime, alongside Dr Erica Crome, Clinical Psychologist and Health Manager, and Nicky Bryson, Principal and Co-founder of Sayers Brand Momentum. Their combined expertise in workplace culture, mental health, and industry leadership provides valuable insight into this challenging situation.

Red Flags in Internship Culture

The competitive framing of this internship reveals serious cultural issues. As Andy points out, referring to interns as "competitors" speaks to a problematic workplace culture that prioritises exploitation over talent development.

"The whole thing, I think, in terms of taking a competitive nature to this is it's not about building talent, which is really the whole point of internships," Andy explains. True internships should focus on helping people grow into the market and giving back to emerging talent.

The Exclusion Problem

Erica raises an important point about purposeful exclusion: "Those exclusionary tactics can actually be classified as bullying from time to time depending on the severity. So I think purposely excluding people can actually be a bit of a risk within the workplace as well rather than part of an acceptable culture."

The deliberate exclusion from meetings, lunches, and opportunities isn't just unprofessional – it could constitute workplace bullying.

Making Your Intentions Clear

Before assuming malicious intent, Erica suggests considering whether the seniors truly understand your ambitions: "Do the seniors know that you're equally interested in opportunities for promotion? I think sometimes we can assume that people are really aware of our intentions and our ambitions, but maybe that's not as obvious to them."

However, this appears to be a broader cultural issue rather than a simple miscommunication.

Resources That Can Help

The Never Not Creative Internship Guide offers comprehensive resources for both interns and employers to create fair, transparent, and ethical internship programmes. These resources include preparation forms, feedback mechanisms, and clear expectations that could help address many of the issues raised in this situation. You can access the full guide and resources at nevernotcreative.org/internships/guide.

If you're an intern facing similar challenges, the guide provides templates and advice for having constructive conversations with employers about expectations and treatment.

When to Seek Additional Support

If your internship is unpaid or you're experiencing workplace bullying, harassment, or exploitation, Never Not Creative's Support Line offers free introductory legal advice. This service, provided in partnership with Artis Causa, is specifically designed to help individuals in the creative and marketing industries who believe they've been mistreated.

The Support Line can provide guidance on your rights and potential next steps if you're facing unpaid work, bullying, or other workplace issues. You can access this support at nevernotcreative.org/support.

Remember, you're not being paid to deal with toxic workplace politics. Your wellbeing and professional development should be the priority, not office drama that undermines your confidence and growth.

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