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Summary
Lots of organizations are hiring aggressively while, at the same time, turnover is at an all-time high among the design community. Join us for an interactive workshop to explore how DesignOps as a function must shape the recruiting, hiring, and retention process during the “Great Resignation.” We’ll be breaking into groups with specific focus and then reconvening to share: For hiring managers: What is working well to attract new talent and where are you stuck (e.g. a certain profile of talent, lack of perks, etc.)? For people managers: What strategies are you using to retain your best talent? What are your top folks asking for these days? If you’re on-boarding lots of new folks, what’s helping make that effective and friendly? For everyone else: What’s keeping you in your current role? What would get you to jump ship? If you are looking for a job, what do you want hiring managers to know or improve about the process?
Key Insights
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Attrition rates in design roles have doubled, reaching around 30%, with hiring rates exceeding 35%, creating operational strain.
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Psychological safety and strong team relationships remain the top reasons employees stay in roles despite pandemic-related challenges.
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Design challenges in hiring processes are widely viewed as inequitable and inefficient, often adding unpaid work for candidates.
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Continuous feedback is preferred over annual reviews, helping employees track progress and reduce burnout.
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Clarity and transparency about remote vs. in-person work policies are critical post-COVID to attract and retain talent.
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Proactive recruiting and pattern recognition help identify candidates good for roles they might not have formally applied for.
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Remote and hybrid-friendly policies, unlimited PTO, and family support are key retention incentives.
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Internal mobility presents an opportunity to address talent gaps by moving existing employees into design-related roles.
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Hiring managers struggle with lengthy interview processes, bureaucratic policies, and narrow location restrictions limiting candidate pools.
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Leadership alignment on hiring strategy and organizational priorities is essential to reduce burnout and create effective teams.
Notable Quotes
"Attrition numbers that normally are around 14 to 15% spike to 30 and hire 35% are creating real operational challenges."
"It's not equitable to ask people who have full-time jobs and family responsibilities to do extra unpaid design exercises."
"Psychological safety on a team is the number one reason people stay in a role."
"We need more continuous feedback instead of waiting for end-of-year reviews to help people see their long-term progress."
"Clarity on whether teams are working in person or remotely post-COVID is something people really want."
"Companies declaring 100% remote have an advantage in attracting talent right now."
"Proactive recruiting means recognizing when a candidate might be a better fit for a different role than the one they applied for."
"There’s a real frustration with bureaucracy and location-specific hiring policies limiting candidate pools."
"Internal moves within organizations into design roles represent a great opportunity during these talent wars."
"Unless leadership is really aligned on strategy and priorities, teams will continue to feel ineffective and burnt out."
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