Bryan Scanlon, president of Waltham, Mass.-based Schwartz Communications, is a firm believer in developing talent from within. In fact, Schwartz’s top 20 employees average more than 11 years with the company. “It all ties back to giving people an interesting place to work, with great people and opportunities for professional growth,” says Scanlon. Here are his tips for developing and retaining PR talent:
1. If you are not taking risks and giving employees’ opportunities that make you feel uncomfortable as a manager, you are not tapping into your employees’ potential. To put it another way, give employees maximum responsibility at the earliest opportunity.
2. Money spent on training and professional development is never wasted.
3. Commitment to your internal resources will drive growth.
4. You don’t have all the training answers. Ask your employees. See what others are doing. Take a step back and see where you can improve yourself. By doing so, you will help improve your employees and your agency.
5. Culture is not something you see in a museum; it must be a core part of your company. And part of that culture needs to be a commitment to helping your employees develop their skills and grow. Give someone an opportunity and they will frequently surprise you.