Spectrum launched Abode in February 2023, enhancing the internship program using its early career management platform.

With five separate locations, seven different business units, and multiple hiring leaders and recruiters involved from each unit, it was a challenge to provide a consistent experience. Spectrum’s team relied heavily on email and spreadsheets to manage communication approvals. The early career team needed a way to streamline communications and automate manual processes across the entire program.

The platform's Journeys feature is used to coordinate pre-employment tasks by location, ensuring efficient communication for pre-hire activities. This includes an introduction to the university’s recruiting team, welcome videos, Q&A sessions, and the summer kickoff conference. Once interns start their summer job, they are added to a different journey based on their business unit. The recruiting and business teams help them with targeted and relevant communications for the rest of the program.

During the internship program, Abode's Events portal helps manage and share various activities, from training sessions and speaker series to community service events and graduation ceremonies. This ensures that everyone involved, including managers, is aware of these events and can participate. It also enhances the overall experience for interns and maintains alignment among all business units involved.

After the program, the Abode platform supports Spectrum in maintaining engagement with both converting and non-converting interns. For interns who are offered and accept full-time jobs upon graduation, the Journeys feature keeps them connected with Spectrum and their management teams during their senior year. With several months between the time, they accept the offer and their start date, receiving consistent communications from their new employer helps keep them excited and provides the onboarding information they need. For interns who didn't get a job right away, Abode works with Spectrum to keep them interested in future jobs encouraging them to apply when new positions become available. 

By implementing Abode, Spectrum has significantly reduced the time spent on planning and programming communications. The platform, especially Journeys, has replaced using a spreadsheet system with a streamlined, automated process, ensuring consistent and timely communications across all business units. Not only has this improved efficiency, but it has also enhanced intern engagement and retention, contributing to Spectrum’s high acceptance and conversion rates.

One of the most notable impacts of Abode’s platform is the creation of knowledge sharing pathways. Structured communication plans have ensured that interns remain informed about initiatives at the managerial and company levels and are involved throughout the program. This proactive engagement and data available through Abode allow the recruitment and program teams to identify and address potential issues early on. With better insight into how each intern is processing the program and to-do list, the team can take timely actions to backfill positions if necessary, ensuring that all roles are adequately staffed.

With the success of the platform, Spectrum is assessing Abode's suitability for supporting its military teams and fellowship programs. This evaluation aims to leverage Abode's capabilities to enhance recruitment, engagement, and development opportunities tailored to these specialized groups within the organization.

Through Abode, Spectrum has a unified platform that supports the full cycle of intern engagement, from pre-hire to post-program stages. The automation and organization facilitated by Abode has allowed Spectrum to focus on strategic activities and improve the overall experience for their interns.