Employer Branding in IT – an answer to IT talent shortage?
Recruiting top IT talent is a struggle. According to research, IT roles represent the 6th most in demand professions in the world, while six in ten CIOs consistently report technology skills shortage.
But how do IT companies still manage to attract talent?
I have spoken to Daria Sobaszek-Dębska, who explained the importance of Employer Branding to attract, engage and retain IT employees.
Why is it so difficult for businesses to attract and retain IT specialists?
Daria Sobaszek-Dębska (DSD): Figures show shortage of IT experts across the world and this can be observed by companies of any industry and size. Technological development not only means increased implementation of digital, but also more experimentation with cutting edge technologies. As a result, newest skills, such as blockchain, Big Data or Machine Learning are those which tend to be most in demand and many businesses turn to specialised IT outsourcing companies for help.
In addition to this, specialist IT businesses may have an advantage over non-tech firms in terms of the number and quality of job applicants for IT roles. Many developers tend to prefer working for IT companies, rather than companies whose core business in something else. This is because the latter usually have smaller IT departments and hence fewer opportunities for development.
Tech companies, especially those that work on a variety of problems, tend to attract the best engineers thanks to better opportunities and a chance to learn from other talented developers. Yet, the global shortage affects everyone and even IT companies must make efforts to remain attractive to employees. At Future Processing, we employ the methods of Employer Branding to help with this.
What is Employer Branding?
DSD: Employer Branding (EB) as a term is used to describe a company’s reputation as an employer and its value proposition to its current and potential employees. EB activities are concerned with attracting, engaging and retaining top talent. Employees could be compared to customers who choose brands which are trustworthy and reliable; therefore, companies that want to attract and retain top talent should have strong brand identity and image as an employer.
Employer Branding in IT – why do it?
DSD: EB activities are increasingly used in industries where demand for skilled and experienced employees outstrips supply – be it in IT or other sectors. In IT, tight job market and fierce competition results in the war of talents which can only be won by companies with best Employee Value Proposition (EVP). An IT candidate has a plethora of offers to choose from and employers need to do something to stand out from competition.
Why is Employer Branding important for clients of an IT company?
DSD: At Future Processing, EB has three main goals which directly impact the value that clients get.
The first goal is to obtain new applications from the best employees which translates into the availability of talent to our clients. We organise various events and recruitment campaigns to ensure a steady influx of applications, while a strict selection process ensures only the best candidates are chosen.
Secondly, EB aims to engage current employees to ensure they are committed to the projects they work on. Engagement and happiness at work adds to the overall job satisfaction which results in better work outcomes and better customer satisfaction.
The third aim is to retain employees to avoid high turnover in client projects. Minimising employee turnover means lower costs as the knowledge and skills are kept in the project together with the developer.
However, Employer Branding is concerned not only with the image of the company, but also crucially, with ensuring the company is indeed a great place to work. By cultivating company culture and making the workplace attractive and convenient (for example by providing modern facilities that include an on-site gym, spa and kindergarten) we are able to attract more employees, and retain them for longer.
