'Become an employer of choice': How HR Leaders can navigate the tech talent deficit
Susan Walsh of Netrix shares some tips for employers looking to stand out in the war for tech talent.
For anyone who hasn’t been keeping up, the country is currently facing a talent shortage, with businesses struggling to find workers to fit their reopening plans. This problem started well before the pandemic, however, with some industries suffering more than others.
In particular, many organizations have struggled to find employees with the tech know-how needed to keep today’s forward-thinking organizations moving… forward. Attracting this particular group of workers requires that employers be at the top of their game when it comes to the benefits they offer and the culture they create for employees.
Related: How existing employees can close technical skill gaps at your organization
But how do they do this? Recently, Susan Walsh, global director of human resources at Netrix, shared some thoughts with BenefitsPRO:
Why are technology-focused roles such as cloud architects, security professionals and systems analysts in such high demand right now?
These technologies and services have been hot for a while, and with the global state of affairs, including the pandemic, they have become even more critical to businesses than ever before. The competition in these spaces is stiff; organizations have to be ready to deliver right out of the gate, or they won’t survive their rivals.
What can organizations and HR leaders do to stand out to potential employees especially given all the competition?
You have to become an employer of choice – best in its class. You do this by offering all that you can in the way of compensation, benefits, culture, and career development. A company that has a clear and realistic strategy that guarantees success will have prospective employees flocking to it. A crystal clear vision is important to every employee at every level of an organization.
The pandemic most likely has had a role in the current tech talent shortage. Do you expect the shortage to subside once that pandemic is over?
It will; it is supply and demand, simple as that. We can reasonably predict market contraction/expansion, other economic indicators, and the subsequent ebb and flow. Continuous building of relationships and keeping the funnel filled with recruits, actually mimics the sales cycle, and quite frankly, should mirror it, so that we lessen our chances of falling victim to these events.
What can organizations do to retain their tech talent?
Say what you mean, and do what you say. Honest and open communications, good or bad, keep top employees tethered to the organization. In employer/employee relationships that are grounded in trust and respect, commitment has a better chance of sustainability through most business challenges.
What has Netrix specifically done to combat the tech talent shortage?
We are continuously working to improve our benefit offerings and compensation structures, and analyze marketplace data and competitive intelligence to make critical business decisions. We know that we must provide countenance so that employees’ careers at Netrix will flourish. We are truly becoming more and more introspective about our culture and the employee view of our organization. It keeps us moving forward – always learning, always improving.
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