Nurturing talent through continuous learning and development
In TDG, we often say, “We’re simply curious!” Our insatiable curiosity permeates all facets of our organization, setting the stage for constant evolution. In a fast-paced and ever-changing digital and technology landscape, the status quo is our launching pad, not our finish line.
As Thinkers, we place high value on curiosity. It’s not just about the knowledge we have, but how we challenge, learn, and grow. We strive to thoughtfully question established ways, to self-educate, and to self-improve. We’re continually asking why things are done a certain way and exploring better alternatives. We take the time to understand our dynamic business, evaluating if processes are aligned with our goals.
When it comes to our people, we aim to guide them boldly where no one has gone before. In this mission, talent development is critical. According to Elena Tompra, Learning and Development Manager of TDG, “Developing and nurturing the skills, knowledge, and potential of our Thinkers is a strategic investment. It’s an investment that can drive innovation, improve productivity, and foster a positive work culture.”
So, how do we achieve this? By simply feeding our innate curiosity.
Last year, we invested over 6,150 hours in various learning and development initiatives. These ranged from online courses and instructor-led seminars to on-the-job training, reading materials, and company educational events.
Our ‘Be Curious’ value embeds learning and development into action, fostering a continuous learning mindset among all Thinkers. We encourage our team members to take charge of their development by setting personal goals and creating bespoke learning plans.
Each Thinker has a personalized development plan for the year ahead. We design tailored development plans based on identified skill gaps, catering to people’s needs and aspirations. These plans encompass various learning methods, including training courses, e-learning courses, work shadowing, mentoring, reading material, and conferences. Through an allocated training budget for each company, department, and employee, we actively invest in employee development.
We also foster a culture of learning by providing access to resources like Coursera, LinkedIn, Udemy, industry conferences, and internal knowledge-sharing platforms. As a tech-oriented organization, we embrace blended learning to integrate the best aspects of each modality and address various learning methods that suit adult learners.
Every year, we organize a TDG-wide training workshop to address common soft or technical skills development. Previous workshops have covered topics like goal setting, communication and feedback skills, design thinking, content marketing, and negotiation skills.
Our ‘Hot Cup’ events are a TDG tradition designed to spark curiosity and inspire learning. “Hot Cup” means “Hot Ideas Brewed for Sharing” and our guest ‘Baristas’ help reinforce our values and explore specific topics.
Moreover, our Athens and Patras offices house lending libraries, where Thinkers can explore books on advertising, marketing, leadership, management, programming, strategy, psychology, and self-improvement.
We believe that our focus on the employee development plan plays a crucial role in fostering the growth of our Thinkers. At TDG, we understand the significance of recognizing and rewarding our team members’ efforts and accomplishments. This year, we are particularly proud of the 26 Thinkers who have risen to higher roles and responsibilities, including some to managerial positions.
In today’s competitive business environment, talent development is a strategic priority. We’re dedicated to investing in our people’s growth, cultivating a culture of continuous learning and innovation. We believe the benefits extend beyond increased employee satisfaction and retention to heightened productivity and a competitive market edge.
So, keep on learning, keep on being curious! For those of you ready to embark on a journey of constant growth and innovation, we’re hiring!