Hiring a Full-Time Instructional Designer vs. Bringing One in On-Demand: What’s the Difference?
In today’s fast-moving workplace, organizations face constant pressure to upskill employees, modernize learning programs, and deliver training that drives measurable results. For Learning and Development (L&D) leaders, one key question often arises: Should you hire a full-time instructional designer, or bring one in on-demand?
Both approaches have merit, but the best choice depends on your business goals, training needs, and available resources. Let’s break down the difference, so you can make a confident, strategic decision.
What Does an Instructional Designer Do?
An instructional designer (ID) is more than a course builder: they are architects of learning experiences. Using principles of learning science, visual design, and UX design, they analyze training needs, design effective solutions, and create learning assets that align with business outcomes. Whether developing onboarding, leadership programs, technical upskilling, or compliance training, IDs ensure content is engaging, relevant, and measurable.
Hiring a Full-Time Instructional Designer
The Benefits
Consistent Support: Having an in-house ID means ongoing availability for projects, updates, and strategy alignment.
Deep Context: They become embedded in your culture, understanding your learners, systems, and long-term goals.
Strategic Alignment: A dedicated designer can partner with stakeholders across the business to build a cohesive L&D strategy.
The Considerations
Higher Cost Commitment: Full-time salaries, benefits, and overhead can be significant investments.
Variable Workload: If training needs fluctuate, you may not always have enough work to justify the role.
Skill Gaps: One designer may not cover every specialized need (eLearning development, graphic design, learning analytics, etc.).
Bringing in an Instructional Designer On-Demand
The Benefits
Flexibility & Scalability: Perfect for organizations with seasonal or project-based learning needs.
Specialized Expertise: Tap into IDs with niche skills, from microlearning design to gamification or LMS integration.
Cost Efficiency: Pay only for the time and expertise you need, without the long-term commitment.
The Considerations
Limited Context: Freelancers or consultants may require ramp-up time to understand your learners and systems.
Availability: On-demand talent may not always be immediately accessible, especially during peak demand.
Continuity: Without a long-term relationship, ongoing updates and revisions may require additional coordination.
How to Decide: Full-Time vs. On-Demand
The choice ultimately comes down to training volume, budget, and organizational maturity in L&D.
If you’re a growing company with constant training needs across departments, a full-time ID may provide the consistency and alignment you need.
If your organization requires specialized projects or flexible resourcing, bringing in on-demand instructional design support can maximize value without unnecessary overhead.
In fact, many organizations find success with a blended approach: maintaining a core internal L&D team while leveraging on-demand experts to fill skill gaps or tackle major initiatives.
Why Custom Training Matters
Whether full-time or on-demand, the real differentiator is custom instructional design. Off-the-shelf solutions rarely address unique business challenges. Custom learning experiences that are grounded in adult learning theory, visual storytelling, and performance-focused design ensure that training sticks and drives measurable outcomes.
The decision between a full-time instructional designer and on-demand support doesn’t have to be an either/or. By understanding your training needs, resource capacity, and long-term goals, you can choose the model that delivers the highest impact for your workforce.
The way you structure instructional design support, whether full-time or on-demand, can make all the difference in how training impacts your staff. Book a call with us today to discuss how the right model can deliver stronger results for your organization.
