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There has been a dramatic technological shift within the graphic communications industry. Ten years ago, hiring profiles were relatively simple. Printers could hire production workers, sales staff with basic commodity-oriented selling skills, and customer service personnel. Nevertheless, digital technology has changed the world of graphic communications. Printers have suddenly become graphic communications service providers or marketing service providers. New global competitors have emerged that have eliminated geographic barriers by leveraging the Internet. Web-to-print has become a staple in the market, and customers have started to demand partners that can help them strengthen their communications programs across multiple channels of communication, including print. In light of these changes, InfoTrends conducted a staffing survey to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the pitfalls involved in companies’ current hiring processes and the ways that hiring practices can be improved to increase the selection of qualified candidates within this industry. The main motivating factor for improving your company’s current staffing process is that replacing employees is expensive. In a company of 10,000 people, it is estimated that yearly turnover costs can exceed $4 million. For that same 10,000-employee company, every percentage point of increase in turnover—or 100 employees who have to be replaced—costs the company more than $360,000. According to InfoTrends’ Group Leader, Barb Pellow, “One way to improve the hiring process to reduce the frequency of having to replace employees is to create a definitive job description, which will make it easier to clearly communicate job requirements and align employee expectations with those of the hiring manager.” The technology and daily processes used in the graphic communications industry have changed significantly, and as a result, the skills that are required of employees have also evolved. The job descriptions used by many companies, however, have not been modified to reflect those changes. It is vital that employers reevaluate the skills sets and background qualifications that they are looking for and they must alter their existing job descriptions to attract people with these credentials. InfoTrends’ recently released report, “Staffing for the Digital Age: Guidance for the Graphic Communications Industry,” provides insight into how employers can execute an effective hiring process to obtain the most qualified employees. It discusses appropriate avenues for recruitment, important elements of the hiring process, and retention drivers based on research performed by InfoTrends with leading graphic communications firms that are experiencing double-digit growth. It also includes an Appendix with a wide range of sample job descriptions that business owners can leverage to begin the process of revitalizing staffing practices. The complete research report is available immediately to clients of InfoTrends’ Business Development Strategies Service. For more information about the report or to make a purchase, visit our online store or contact Alison Hipp at +1 ext. 126 or . InfoTrends, a Questex company, is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry. We provide research, analysis, forecasts, and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to grow their businesses. Additional information about InfoTrends is available on the Web at www.infotrends.com. Copyright © 2007 InfoTrends. All rights reserved. Reproduction or reuse of InfoTrends materials is strictly prohibited without prior written consent. If you are interested in referencing InfoTrends content, please submit your request to
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