IT continues to be one of the hottest areas of economic growth in the country, with CareerCast‘s annual survey identifying “data scientist” as the best job to have in 2016. Organizations are competing with each other to hire the brightest and best professionals in the tech world. How can you position your company to attract and retain the best talent? Tony Delmarcado, Chief Operating Officer at Hawke Media, identified several ways to do this, in his recent article for Entrepreneur.
1. Stop focusing on location and focus on the work. The best people in any field will be able to focus and perform no matter where they are; they’re passionate about work. Fancy offices and amenities aren’t as attractive to these professionals as autonomy and flexibility in their workplace and schedule. You’ll get better results by offering top talent the freedom to work however works best for them–and trusting them to deliver.
2. Help new hires aim high. Companies that give new employees a clear vision of what they can expect during their first 2-4 years are most likely to retain those employees. Pre-hire training and ongoing coaching and education for high performers are investments that will engage and retain the most valuable employees you have. Helping strong candidates form an exciting vision of their future with you is a powerful tool for developing loyalty and engagement.
3. Insist that your employees limit their work hours. Trust that your top performers will work efficiently and deliver promptly without spending every waking moment at their desks. Show them that working for you isn’t selling their soul for a paycheck. By setting clear times to end work every day and expecting work to actually end at that time, you will retain the talent most important to your success.
Before you can use any of these tips, you’ll need to give your employment brand–the appeal of your company as a workplace– a facelift. How does your organization look to potential employees? Make sure your marketing and PR strategies position your company as a place where the best IT professionals will feel at home.
(Sources: Forbes, Entrepreneur)