Summary
Quite bluntly, all of you are fierce competitors — for design talent. From start-up to established companies, we're all feeling the effects of the Great Resignation. But what happens when it's discovered that internal processes sandbag efforts to acquire designers, onboard, promote, and retain them? Join us as we uncover some cringe-worthy problems and share practical takeaways for outsized success. Dante won’t be offering cookie-cutter solutions since, as he puts it, “many eggs were cracked in this messy process. This is not for the faint of heart — dirty laundry could be aired!” Takeaways How to hire, onboard, and retain designers How to tackle dysfunction in your org as a decentralized practitioner
Key Insights
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Engagement is critical for retaining talent.
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Empathy is necessary when collaborating with recruiting teams.
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Structured onboarding prevents information overload.
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Peer mentoring enhances professional growth and fosters community.
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Cross-functional collaboration addresses complex hiring challenges.
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Clear communication reduces ghosting among candidates during the hiring process.
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Standardized onboarding processes are essential but often inconsistent.
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Regular feedback helps improve onboarding experiences.
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Collective problem-solving leads to innovative solutions in design operations.
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Retention is linked to satisfaction with onboarding and engagement post-hire.
Notable Quotes
"My superpower is to connect the dots between people, places, ideas, and opportunities."
"The great resignation morphed into the great unknown, highlighting instability in tech."
"We don't have all the answers; we're in the thick of it all and actively learning."
"Hiring excellence often depends on collaboration with cross-functional partners."
"Lead with empathy; the solution is likely in someone else's sandbox."
"Engagement will retain talent; low engagement leads to churn."
"An engaged designer is a retained designer."
"Only 12% of employees agree their organization excels at onboarding new hires."
"Employees with exceptional onboarding experiences are 2.6 times more likely to be satisfied with their work."
"The learning process is a marathon, not a sprint, especially in onboarding."
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