Talent exchange programs are becoming more and more popular as businesses and employees alike realize the benefits that can be gained. 

For agency leaders, the benefits are numerous. Talent exchanges provide invaluable diversity of thought and a fresh multicultural perspective to better solve the complex challenges presented by clients. They also present the agency with a unique and appealing way to retain and attract top talent. 

For the talent doing the exchanging, the benefits are also manifold. Employees gain deeper insights of foreign cultures that help to strengthenrelationships with colleagues, clients and partners across the globe. They’re pushed beyond their comfort zones where true learning, inspiration and change occurs. And they receive a perk that rivals all snacks, kegerators and ping pong tables you can fit in an office. 

Our Agency Partners are well aware of these benefits, and frequently participate in talent exchange programs. Last year, Partners The Union in Scotland sent one of their copywriters to Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners in San Francisco for one month. ActivaMente in Mexico has hosted staff from Halsband Worldwide Partners in Costa Rica. Godfrey in Pennsylvania, USA and Moon in Germany are also habitual talent exchange participants. 

The most recent talent transfer amongst WPI Partners was between Ardmore in North Ireland and Slack and Company in Chicago, USA. Ardmore’s Senior Creative Jamie Watson spent two weeks in Chi-Town, getting to know the B2B agency, exploring the windy city, and learning that Creatives are quite similar anywhere in the world! 

Check out a short video Jamie made about his experience “Hacking Chicago as a Creative.” 

If you’re a WPI partner and would like to participate in a talent exchange with another agency in the network, please contact Rebekah Giaraffa.