Pros and Cons of In-House Design Teams

There are a lot of benefits to having in-house graphic design teams. You can see your vision come to life from start to finish and don't have to worry about branding inconsistencies, but there are also some drawbacks or cons to working with in-house designers that people rarely talk about.

At 24Slides, we've interviewed Design Managers and In-house Designers to bring you the real pros and cons of running an in-house design team. So whether you're building an internal design team or deciding to level up the one you already lead, this article is for you.

If you're short on time, you are welcome to select the topic that most interests you here:

What does an In-house Graphic Design Team do?

In-house design teams are typically the design department inside the company. They take on all marketing and branding projects that require graphic support, like product logos, website images, social media ads, presentations, etc. In other words, in-house design teams collaborate, create, and keep timely, on-brand visual resources for business activities.

In most cases, in-house designers receive projects from multiple stakeholders and must manage feedback and deadlines across different areas. Also, they can be part-time or full-time graphic designers; this will depend on the needs and budget of each company.

But why is a design team important? Graphic designers have an essential task not only limited to aesthetics but also effectively communicating a message to a specific audience. Therefore, forming a graphic design team is crucial for the growth of any company.

Let's quickly explore the pros and cons of in-house design teams to understand why companies choose (or not) to invest in them. Stay tuned!

Pros of an In-house Design Team

An in-house graphic design team might not be the first option in the early stages of a business, but as the demand for visual pieces increases, it's time to make a decision.

Here are the top benefits of having an in-house design team:

1. More control over design costs

From a financial perspective, companies that manage their creative work with in-house designers have more control over how much they spend regularly.

Unlike freelance designers, who charge per hour or piece delivered, in-house design teams allow brands to make more from their monthly budget.

2. Clear workflow and reception of feedback

By having full-time in-house designers, you'll likely have a stable workflow, and your results will be more efficient in the long run. This happens because your employee will create habits within their job functions, which benefits both parties.

As part of this process, feedback is a fundamental element to consider and will improve the final results of your in-house design team. Feedback is a powerful tool in a work environment, so we invite you to learn more about the importance of feedback at work.

3. Constant communication with stakeholders

Usually, in-house designers provide graphic support to departments like Marketing, Sales, and Human Resources. As they are part of the company's internal team, the communication process with the other departments won't be complicated.

Furthermore, having an in-house design team makes things easier for the company's stakeholders. In this scenario, designers already know their design preferences and will be in sync with the company's current situation. This familiarity also helps to forge a streamlined process for each project.

4. Better performance in each delivery

Unlike a freelance designer or agency designer, in-house graphic designers are only dedicated to your brand, so their efforts will focus on your company's needs. It's well known that freelance or agency designers lead several projects simultaneously, (probably) affecting the quality of the final work.

"As an in-house designer, I have the opportunity to understand the brand's culture, values, and objectives. This deep understanding enables us to create designs that are aligned with the brand identity, resulting in consistent and cohesive visuals across various platforms.”

- Rezzara Putri, Senior In-house Designer at 24Slides

Furthermore, if you work with internal graphic designers, you will have more control over their performance in the long term, which will contribute to the employee's professional development.

5. Confidentiality guarantee

Another pro of working with in-house designers is ensuring your data's confidentiality. This can be supported by a contract that states the importance of not sharing your confidential information and the possible sanctions if they don't respect it.

Naturally, this may seem somewhat "serious", but opting for internal designers involves additional bureaucratic processes that safeguard your business secrets, which a freelance hiring process often doesn't.

6. Knowledge of your team’s limitations

When managing an in-house design team, it is crucial to acknowledge that every employee possesses strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing these aspects is an essential factor that must be considered. You will gradually become aware of these characteristics as you interact more with each designer.

Identifying this information will help you distribute tasks efficiently, set realistic expectations and know when additional support is needed to meet project standards.

7. Your design team becomes a guardian of your brand

Finally, another advantage of an in-house design team is their deep understanding of the business and the brand. They know the ins and outs of corporate identity and can spot any brand collateral issues faster than anyone.

Additionally, internal design teams can be heavily involved in developing your Corporate Visual Identity (CVI), encouraging them to become guardians of it and guiding newcomers to do the same.

You need to know that this feeling of being the "guardian of your brand" is not built overnight. Every in-house designer must recognize the benefits that your company gives them and visualize a stable future as part of the team.

“I have the advantage of long-term stability and job security. As part of the internal design team, I seek growth, learning, and professional development within the company. This stability provides a sense of belonging and the opportunity to build a strong portfolio of work over time."

-Yuniz Normawan, In-house Design Intern at 24Slides

These were the most relevant benefits of in-house design teams.

However, we're not done yet. In the following section, you'll discover the cons of hiring an in-house design team. Keep reading!

Cons of an In-house Design Team

There are some disadvantages of in-house design teams you should know about. To give you the whole picture, these are the most common challenges you need to consider before hiring internal designers:

1. High hiring and training costs

I'm aware we said cost-effectiveness was an advantage of in-house design teams, but here I'm not solely talking about budgets but also the value of time. Usually, hiring can take several days (or weeks) in your schedule, especially if you're looking for specialized talents or need to fill multiple roles.

Also, hiring a full-time in-house designer entails considering additional expenses, such as health insurance, legally mandated supplementary payments, functional equipment, and other related costs.

And let's not forget about the training period for new hires and the process of upskilling a team every year. For some companies, the steep learning curve of their processes and the lack of trainers represent a high time and money cost.

Want to know more about the cost of an In-house Design Team vs a Design Agency? We got your back!

2. Difficulty in finding specialists (and retaining them)

Design is such a vast field, so finding a good designer who can elaborate all kinds of graphic design work is challenging. That's why in-house graphic design teams need diverse talent to cover all the projects' tasks they lead.

For example, in UX design, one of the most significant difficulties leaders face today is finding editorial or presentation design specialists. If the company relies heavily on presentations, the team can't pick just any designer on the market because few designers work in PowerPoint.

Let's imagine you find the perfect graphic designer for your needs: super skilled, quick to adapt, and has a great portfolio. When forming an in-house design team, you must consider strategies to retain talent to avoid high job turnover.

3. Monotony in the internal working day

Designing is not just about making things look pretty. It involves research, playing with concepts, and getting those "aha" moments to spark new ideas.

Therefore, monotony in the internal work of a graphic design team should be avoided. This includes the type of projects commissioned, team idea generation processes, recreational activities, etc.

Each company is unique, so you have to consider the characteristics of your team and your company's culture to create a suitable environment for your in-house design team.

4. Not enough capacity to meet your company’s needs

Another common challenge for in-house design teams is dealing with high demand and limited resources. It's normal to face workload peaks now and then, but things get tough when the company's headcount grows faster than the internal design team.

Insufficient capacity to handle the workload may result in designers being overwhelmed and colleagues becoming discontented due to project delays. Even if the increase in requests is seasonal, it's crucial to seek solutions that can assist your in-house designers during such scenarios.

The next step is to make a decision, but how to do it? We will tell you everything in the following section!

Amazon PowerPoint Presentation Example by 24Slides — Check out all the presentation examples our team has made for some design projects.

Pros and Cons of Design Teams: How to make my final decision?

We encourage you to analyze your company's needs and decide based on the information we've provided today. It's better to take some time and make a well-considered choice rather than rushing into a decision.

1. Let’s dive in: Conduct a comprehensive analysis of your company’s situation

Carrying out a preliminary analysis of your company's situation is the wisest decision before making such a considerable expense as investing in a graphic design team, whether an in-house design team or another option.

Need help figuring out where to start? You can answer these questions and take the first step:

How much time does my team invest in designing presentations in PowerPoint? (Tip: Consider time as money, our Cost Calculator will help you with it)
Where are my company's design needs going?
What actions can I implement that facilitate the processes between my design team and stakeholders?
How can I turn the challenges identified into opportunities?
What is my budget for running a graphic design team?

2. Compare the market options and select the best match for your needs

After a deep analysis of your company and budget, the next step is to make a decision with your team.

We'd like to share a comparative table that will help you in this important process. You'll find the advantages and disadvantages of three types of graphic design services available in the market. Take some notes!

Pros and Cons of Design Teams: In-house vs Freelance vs Agency — Pros and Cons of Design Teams: In-house vs. Freelance vs. Agency

None of the previous graphic design teams convinced you? Stay tuned for the next section!

How do 24Slides help In-house Creative Teams accomplish their best work?

There's a misconception that one should choose between an in-house design team, an external agency, or design freelancers to manage the company's creative work. But what if I told you there's another option?

At 24Slides, we support large businesses with Dedicated Design Teams. This means we collaborate with your in-house designers and take over one of their most tedious tasks: Designing corporate presentations.

With a Dedicated Design Team, you get presentation designers trained in your branding, 24-hour turnaround on your slides, complete data confidentiality, seamless integration into your workflow, and more. But here's the best part:

1. You increase your team’s productivity

By surveying over 9,000 of our clients, we found that they spend 12% of their working hours designing in PowerPoint. This might seem like a low percentage, but 53% of respondents said doing that activity wasn't a positive investment of their time.

By betting on a Dedicated Design Team, you could automate this process and focus on other relevant responsibilities according to your core business.

2. You save monthly costs

By hiring a Dedicated Design Team at 24Slides, you only pay for the team's capacity according to your workload. This enables you to adjust and control your monthly expenses accordingly.

In addition, our team size can be quickly extended or reduced in case there is a difference in work volume.

3. You get maximum scalability

24Slides Designers produce hundreds of slides monthly and are constantly training on the latest design techniques. All of this experience allows them to design top-notch presentations at a much faster rate than other graphic designers.

We also offer stable delivery, regardless of vacation or sick days, on your in-house design team.

4. You keep designers and stakeholders happy

Last but not least, your team will be able to focus on the creative tasks they are best at and still have the final word on the slides we produce. A win-win situation!

“After training and testing, 24Slides quickly learned how to implement our CVI, deliver a high quality, and provide a dedicated design team that always tries to accommodate our wishes regarding design and deadlines.”

-Nyah Pham, Project Manager at Novozymes

We hope these pros and cons of in-house design teams help you to analyze where your team stands today. Remember that every graphic design team is unique, and you'll probably experience these pros and cons at different levels.

The important thing is that you're prepared and know how to respond to the drawbacks your employees already face. See you next time!