EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
ANDREW WILKINSON , CHIEF INFORMATION AND
TECHNOLOGY OFFICER , DEEP BLUE COMPANY
With The Great Resignation at the front } of every CIO ’ s mind , the race is on to beat the competition to the best talent . It ’ s an employees ’ market with record-low unemployment , making it more important than ever for businesses to have a competitive offering to help attract and retain staff .
Firstly , it ’ s critical to think beyond the numbers . Businesses should take a holistic approach to hiring by focusing on what they can offer beyond competitive compensation .
For many workers , flexible arrangements are now considered non-negotiable . At Deep Blue Company ( DBC ), we ’ ve found that empowering teams to set their own agendas and combining in-office collaboration days with home-based focus time works best for us . The key here is choice .
Giving employees the freedom to choose how they balance their work and home lives lets them know you trust them to make the call on which environment they ’ ll benefit from most on any given day .
The talent war extends beyond the physical or virtual office . Equally as important as internal hires ,
partnerships play an important role in providing talent
which may be difficult to hire in-house . Cultivating strong partnerships and treating these partners and their people as your own is important as they have more choices now than ever about whom they work alongside .
At DBC we partner with several technology partners and real estate agents who play a key role in ensuring the sale-to-settlement journey goes smoothly , so investing the time , energy and capital into these relationships is critical to our long-term business strategy .
It ’ s critical to think beyond the numbers . Businesses should take a holistic approach to hiring by focusing on what they can offer beyond competitive compensation .
Secondly , taking a step back when discussing development opportunities will show your employees that their future with the business spans beyond their current position . Offering coaching , mentoring and development outside the context of their current role greatly helps build trust and rapport , giving you the best chance to retain talent .
This approach means you must be prepared for conversations that may span beyond your typical performance appraisal and into opportunities to try out a new skill or role . When faced with these , authenticity is key – or else it doesn ’ t work .
Finally , learn what motivates and inspires your team . Doing this will have a direct impact on retention levels . For us , it ’ s the three pillars of purpose , task and team . You are more likely to attract people who resonate with your company ’ s purpose , and if they find meaning and reward in the work you are more likely to retain them .
The more technically interesting the work is , the more engaged your team will be . Ensuring that you create an engaged and co-operative work environment makes a significant difference in the satisfaction of your team and is key in facing the challenges presented by the Great Resignation .
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