No matter how large or small your organization, finding and retaining talent is a perennial challenge.
The cost of conducting an extensive search, identifying the right candidate and then onboarding and training that new employee must be measured in more than simply dollars. However, consider that the cost of simply onboarding alone, from the time of offer to the new employee’s first day of work, has been estimated at $4000 or more, depending on the source.
Your people are your assets and ideally they are also your biggest brand advocates. As such, it makes good business sense to invest in them and nurture and grow their careers. For a valued team member who has demonstrated exceptional talent and promise, the importance of nurturing and developing that asset is critical.
For that reason, and many others, our annual Designer Dozen awards program has become extremely rewarding for us at VMSD. Each year, we select 12 up-and-coming young designers who have demonstrated promise and potential beyond their years and introduce them to our readers.
Identifying and recognizing these young designers, architects and visual merchandisers has become a core part of our strategy in this publication’s evolving role as a steward of the industry for more than 120 years. When this program began eight years ago, it was our hope that these young stars would become tomorrow’s leaders, and we have already seen this come to fruition in many instances.
As you meet this year’s class of remarkable designers who will drive the future of our industry, consider what your organization is doing to foster talent in your ranks. Are you offering your rising stars a clear path to growth? Is your organization structured to recognize and nurture talent in your own ranks?