Stephen Ibaraki
A few
months back, Stephen Ibaraki, I.S.P., had an exclusive
interview with Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of
Robert Half Technology and Stephen Mill, regional manager for
Robert Half Technology[1].
A graduate
of Northern Arizona University, Ms. Lee has been with the
company since 1995 and has more than 15 years of experience in
information technology consulting services. Ms. Lee is a
spokesperson, author of industry articles and frequent public
speaker on IT staffing.
In her
role as a nationally recognized authority on IT careers, Ms.
Lee has guest hosted several live events on web sites such as
Monster.com, Techtarget.com and CareerPath.com. In addition,
she is currently providing career insight and advice to
Network Computing and Certification Magazine
readers.
Mr. Mill's
area of responsibility currently includes managing the daily
operations of the firm's Canadian offices. Stephen has spent
the past seven years at the specialized staffing firm where he
has experienced all phases of the IT job market cycle
first-hand.
With more
than 100 locations in North America and Europe, Robert Half
Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals for
initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform
systems integration to
network engineering and technical support. Robert Half
Technology offers online job search services at http://www.roberthalftechnology.com/.
Q:
Detail the techniques that businesses can employ to keep
valued employees.
A:
(Katherine Spencer Lee) Firms
should be focused on retaining their best employees in any
employment market. The most successful companies think about
employee morale and retention issues all the time -- not just
in a hot hiring market. When the economy does pick up and the
job market offers more options, staff who have been overworked
and not recognized may seek employment
elsewhere.
Companies
that show consideration to employees during economically
challenging times create a more loyal and productive
workforce. As a result, they’ll have a competitive advantage
as the economy rebounds.
Even in
down economies when budgets may be extremely tight, there are
a number of low- or no-cost practices employers can employ to
keep their staffs happy.
The following are examples of everyday,
low-cost retention practices that we recommend to our
clients:
Encourage balance. Make sure employees
take breaks throughout the day and use their vacation time to
avoid burnout.
Be
realistic. Tasks and deadlines should be achievable.
Evaluate whether staff members have the necessary skills for
upcoming projects; offer training as needed.
Share
the vision. When assigning tasks, explain how they support
larger business objectives. Employees should organize their
activities based on these priorities.
Solicit
ideas. Ask staff members to brainstorm creative ways to
solve everyday challenges. Having a say in the outcome of a
project motivates employees to do their best work.
Bring
in support. When full-time employees are at capacity,
consider bringing in professionals on a project basis to
augment their efforts.
Recognize value. Thank them for their
work, and acknowledge their contributions. This doesn’t
have to cost a lot of money -- recognizing accomplishments at
staff meetings and providing small rewards like movie tickets
or a gift certificate let staff members know they are
valued.
Develop
leaders. When people perceive that there’s room for
them to grow and advance at a company, they’ll stay longer.
Provide challenging assignments and leadership opportunities
so they can broaden their skills and make meaningful
contributions. Offer a formal mentoring program to help you
identify and groom workers at all levels.
A:
(Stephen Mill) It’s valuable to take time to recognize your
employees’ achievements. Show your staff you care through
day-to-day praise and recognition. Don’t forget simple
courtesies. “Good morning” and “thank you,” a note of
appreciation or kind words during a meeting can go a long way.
Other ways to show employees you value their contributions
include initiating social activities for staff, giving cards
or small gifts for special occasions, providing personal or
public recognition for a job well done, offering tickets to
local sporting events and shows, providing free coffee and
snacks, and occasional meals, as appropriate. These are only a
few techniques. Employee
empowerment, fostering teamwork and regular performance
appraisals also go a long way in helping keep your top
talent.
Q: And
IT professionals, what can they do to stay employed? From
their perspective, what is the hiring environment today and
where do you see it going in the future; what strategies can
they use to obtain meaningful employment? What qualities are
companies looking for in candidates and how can candidates
effectively prove that these qualities exist in themselves? Do
you see a change from the past to the present and into the
future?
A:
(Katherine Spencer Lee) Information technology cost-cutting
efforts and widespread staff reductions seem to be easing, and
employers are cautiously optimistic. As companies execute new initiatives to remain
competitive and prepare for future business growth, the
long-term hiring outlook appears stronger.
In fact,
technology investments initiated during the Internet boom of
the late nineties are nearing, or have reached the end of
their product life cycles and will require updates soon. A
number of firms are moving forward with systems upgrades that
were previously on hold, particularly those designed to
enhance customer service or achieve greater operational
efficiencies.
Technology
spending -- and subsequently hiring -- is currently focused on
initiatives that provide an immediate return on investment.
Network security concerns also
continue to be a priority for businesses of all sizes. There
is strong demand for IT professionals who can manage
everything from assessing potential network vulnerabilities to
integrating virus protection, intrusion detection and other
components into an enterprise-wide security strategy.
Firms
currently hiring technology staff are taking a very thorough
approach to evaluating candidates, requiring prospective
candidates to meet all job specifications before arranging an
interview. Managers are carefully reviewing their hiring
profiles to ensure new staff members will be able to make
immediate contributions. To provide needed flexibility in
managing human resources, businesses are also bringing in
specialists on a project basis who can assist with expanded
workloads.
While
technical certifications can also influence the hiring
decision, managers are applying even more weight to a
chronicled history of successes. Firms want to see how
candidates have contributed to previous organizations and how
they can transfer these achievements and add value in a new
environment. Hiring managers seek those individuals who are
able to tie a firm’s technical capabilities to its business
needs.
A:
(Stephen Mill) No contractor would
begin building a house without at least a rudimentary
plan. Likewise, something as important as a career in IT
shouldn’t be pursued without a well-thought-out strategy --
especially given the rapid pace of change in business today.
Everything from the introduction of new technologies to
company expansion can have a direct impact on your job and
your career. This makes it all the more important to
develop a long-term career strategy. Be sure to share your
professional goals with your supervisor. Be clear about your
expectations for advancement and understand what you need to
do to get where you want to be.
A key
trend is the growing importance of soft skills in the
workplace -- that is, the ability to communicate, listen and
work collaboratively, including departments outside of
IT. While logically it would seem that technology has
allowed us to work more independently with less need for soft
skills, the opposite is actually true. In a survey
commissioned by our firm, 77 percent of chief information
officers polled said the increased use of technology will
require workers to communicate more effectively and accurately
in coming years. The reason? Think e-mail, voice mail and
teleconferences. With
information technology accelerating the frequency of
communication, any deficiencies in diplomacy, negotiation, and
oral and written skills are increasingly obvious to
others.
[1] Robert Half Technology is a leading
provider of information technology (IT) professionals on a
project or full-time basis.
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