In IT Recruiting, Don’t Neglect Retention

If you’ve started recruiting for employees for information technology positions, you’ve probably realized how difficult it can be, and how much money and time the task can take from you. That’s why when you’re looking for a new employee, you should give some serious thought to retention so that you don’t have to start the entire process over again if they decide they aren’t happy working in your office. Here are some ways to prevent that:

Make sure you’re compensation is fair. It’s tricky to know how much to offer someone working in IT if you’re not entirely familiar with all the nuances of their training and background. Fortunately, there’s a wealth of information available online, so take the time to research what people in similar positions are making in your area to avoid underpaying and losing someone to a better offer from your competition.

Integrate IT with the rest of your employees. Because of a tendency for information technology workers to keep different hours from the rest of the office, it is common for them to feel isolated from the rest of their coworkers. Make sure that you do your best to treat them like the rest of your team, whether that means giving them offices on the same floor as everyone else when possible, or taking their schedules into account when you schedule workplace events.

Give your employees ways to build their careers. Few fields move and grow as quickly as information technology does. There are always new skills to learn, and employees who are truly passionate about IT will want to continue to build their resumes and gain more experience by working on new, exciting projects. If you can’t offer on-the-job training, consider setting up a budget for continuing education for your employees. While it may seem like a high upfront expense, educating your workforce will reap benefits well into the future.

Promote when possible. When you have a job opening, it’s always a great idea to promote a current employee to a new position when possible. Promoting from within keeps morale high, not just in your IT department, but in the rest of your office as well, because people realize that if they work hard they can be rewarded.

Need more ideas about how to keep your IT employees happy? Working with one of our technical recruiting specialists at Contemporary Staffing will put you on the path to a lower turnover rate. Get in touch with us today to get started!