Congratulations! You have put together a dream team that works together like a well-oiled machine. The trick is, how do you keep it that way?
When you lose tech talent, you lose money— and so much more! A study found that the cost of losing just one employee can cost tens of thousands of dollars or even up to 2x their annual salary. Your top IT pros are approached by other opportunities almost daily. So because the competition for tech professionals is so fierce, it’s critical that your company has a strategy in place to retain your current employees and keep them engaged, productive and, most of all, happy.
After all, while good pay is certainly important, real job satisfaction is about more than just money; top IT players may even choose lower pay elsewhere if that company’s culture, direction, and support are all better aligned with their personal aspirations.
Here are few tips and insights into keeping the best of the best right where they are!
#1: Offer Recognition
The IT stars in your company benefit from recognition, ongoing personal engagement, and acknowledgements for what they do. Make a point of seeking their input and feedback on a weekly basis. Any employee, particularly those with exceptional IT skills, will be far happier when they feel their contribution to the company’s overall success is recognized and appreciated.
#2: Provide Opportunity for Advancement
Did you know that on average 45% of people who leave a job did so because they were concerned about the lack of opportunities for advancement? Offering real opportunities to promote individuals from within your organization is a critical point in employee retention. Employees appreciate professional development opportunities and training to update themselves on the ever-changing technology skills. Employee development benefits you as much as it benefits them!
#3: Get Flexible
Many of the most talented IT professionals prefer a flexible work environment— especially if most of what they can do can be fulfilled on a computer. If you absolutely require your employees to be physically present on a standard work schedule, employees (especially the younger ones) may be more inclined to look for greener pastures. Implement a more flexible work environment if at all possible. It’s the wave of the future.
#4: Listen
As a manager or owner, you are ultimately the goal-setter, and the vision for your company is the driver – but be willing to accept you don’t know everything. When your employees are involved in the decision-making process for changes that will affect their activities, they are more engaged, interested, and productive.
#5: Challenge Their Skills
One of the easiest ways to lose your top IT talent is a failure to provide any challenges. These employees love what they do but need ongoing challenges to keep them on their toes. Consistently show them that you have high expectations in order to keep them personally motivated for peak performance.
#6: Be Engaged
Some employers may fall back on an old-school, autocratic management style, which is a morale-killer and can quickly result in your employees choosing to move on. Rather than applying constant pressure and demanding execution of tasks, no questions asked, try to be approachable to everyone, from the top to the lowest level employee. Discover what barriers your best employees are dealing with and take action to remove obstacles.
#7: Handle the Bad Apples
Nothing destroys company culture more than toxic employees. These characters typically work behind the scenes to stir up problems between employees, teams, or management which causes the actually good employees to become dissatisfied. When you identify a toxic employee, try to get ahold of the situation and work towards a positive outcome for all involved.
#8: It All Starts With Good Recruitment
Hiring the right candidate in the first place is a critical aspect in overall employee retention. You want your new IT hires to be the right match, both in technical skills and personality. At Adaptive Solutions Group, we can help you identify the top IT talent for your company in contract, contract-to-hire, or permanent placement positions. Our team can help you immediately connect with the best and the brightest IT talent in St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, and other locations. Contact us now!