The economic recession may have faded into recent memory for some businesses, but many employers in the IT industry are still struggling to recover from its effects. According to a survey conducted in 2014 by CareerBuilder, nearly fifty percent of human resources personnel at IT companies reported that they still felt like they were in the throes of a recession. Meanwhile, another thirty-two percent reported that they were still working to alleviate the residual effects of the recession.
According to CareerBuilder’s chief technology officer Eric Presley, “Despite the emergence of successful tech startups and exponential growth of several computer science and engineering occupations, many IT employers are confronted by a variety of staffing challenges that have the potential to limit productivity and innovation.” The study went on to outline the most prevalent of these staffing challenges as reported by the 161 hiring managers and human resources professionals surveyed.
Retaining Top Talent – 36%
The number one challenge identified by the survey: combatting employee turnover. Recently, companies have begun offering more competitive pay and benefits packages that provide added incentive for new hires to stick around.
Lifting Employee Morale – 31%
Here we have an issue directly related to the high turnover rates in the industry. Perhaps because of the lasting effects of the recession, employers are finding it difficult to keep their employees happy in their positions. In an effort to improve morale, some IT companies are switching to more flexible scheduling options that offer employees added comfort and convenience in the workplace.
Recruiting High Skill Applicants – 29%
There’s no shortage of jobs in the IT sector these days, but there is a shortage of qualified job candidates. In March, the White House introduced a new initiative that aims to address this issue by providing interested job seekers with the skills and resources they need to become IT professionals. The program isn’t officially open to applicants until the fall, so we’ll have to wait and see just how effective it is at achieving its goals.
Providing Competitive Compensation – 27%
With so many available IT positions and so few applicants, job seekers are free to shop around to find companies offering higher-than-average compensation. Yet another reason for companies to offer improved benefits packages to candidates.
Worker Burnout – 26%
With demand for IT professionals at an all-time high, the few people who are qualified for tech positions are often taxed with huge workloads. Even with competitive compensation, this can make it difficult for some employees to stay in careers in IT. Unfortunately, this will likely continue to be an issue in the industry until we’re able to train more IT professionals to fill in-demand positions.
So how can hiring managers overcome these significant staffing hurdles? They can begin by leveraging our network of highly qualified IT candidates. We’ve spent the last twenty years connecting employers with candidates in the tech sector, during which time we’ve gained a keen understanding of the unique challenges that face this burgeoning industry. Give us a call today, and let us work with you to staff your team with talented, thoroughly vetted IT professionals.