How to hire and keep good people in a design studio

Know what you need

Before you advertise, ask:

• What work is coming, and what gap does this person fill?
• Which skills and experience are essential, and which can be learned?
• Full-time, part-time, fixed-term or freelance?
• Can you afford it, including the costs beyond salary, such as taxes, insurance, equipment, training and time to supervise? See Cash flow in a small practice.

Write a clear, honest advertisement

Describe the role, the type of work, the studio and what you offer. Be honest about the practice, the hours and the pay. Use inclusive language. Where the law requires it, state pay or other details. See our Careers and Graduates pages for how we speak about this.

Describe the role, the type of work, the studio and what you offer.

Hire fairly

• Use fair, consistent criteria, based on the skills and potential needed for the job.
• Avoid discrimination of any kind. The law protects people from discrimination in hiring on certain grounds in many countries.
• Look at portfolios and ask about the process, not just the finished images.
• Ask for a conversation about real work, such as a task or a discussion of a project.
• Check the right to work and references as required by law.
• Give feedback to candidates where you can.

Welcome people well

Good first weeks set the tone. Give a clear induction: the studio's way of working, software and files, quality systems, people, expectations, and who to ask. Give a first task that is real and manageable. See Quality assurance in a small studio.

Pay and conditions

Fair pay, reasonable hours, holiday and security matter. Architecture has a reputation for long hours and modest pay, and good studios try to do better. Be clear and fair, and review regularly.

Teach and trust

Good people want to learn and to be trusted. Give responsibility, feedback, time for training, and support towards professional registration or qualifications. Encourage questions and mistakes that people learn from.

Respect and belonging

People stay in places where they are respected, heard and treated fairly. Make the studio welcoming for everyone, listen to concerns, deal with unacceptable behaviour firmly, and make it safe to speak up.

Wellbeing and workload

Crunches are common in design, but constant overwork damages health and quality. Plan workload honestly, and offer flexibility where you can. See Designing for wellbeing at work.

Keep in touch

Hold regular conversations about how people are doing, what they want to learn, and where they want to go. People who see a future are more likely to stay.

When someone leaves

Departures happen. Handle them respectfully, learn from exit conversations, and keep good relationships. Former colleagues often become friends and collaborators.

In short

Know what you need, hire fairly, welcome people, pay and treat them fairly, teach and trust them, and listen. Take employment advice.

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