EDITOR ’ S QUESTION

DAVID ARTHUR , SECURITY PRACTICE LEAD – AUSTRALIA

AND NEW ZEALAND , F5

Much has been said about the need to attract talent , but not enough is being said about how to retain that talent . There are a few main areas to consider :

Investment in training , development , and progression – In order to bolster the skills base within an organization , skills training and ongoing development must be prioritized . It must be made clear from the top down that career growth and development are supported and career progression is a priority for the organization . This can ’ t be done without clear and consistent channels of communication and engagement and , in some cases , an investment of time and resources .

Henry Ford said : “ The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training and having them stay .” I ’ d suggest that saying evolve now to “ the only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and driving them to your competitors .”.

Automating the mundane – Where possible , remove the disheartening task of performing the same simple , repetitive task over and over . Automation is increasingly used to streamline operational efficiency and administration , while releasing time for employees to take on new opportunities that allow them to learn , grow , develop skills , and move on to more complex activities that derive greater business benefit .

In-sourcing – As IT has become a core part of business across almost all industries , organizations are noting the benefits of in-sourcing . Where before they might have sought goods and services from a third party , they are now seeking to assign projects to a person or department within .

This provides existing personnel with the opportunity for career development and skills growth , a major factor in both employee satisfaction and retention . It also means that organizations can retain core business intellectual property , focus , and prioritization . No-one understands , or cares about , the intricacies of the business more than those on the inside .

Specialist engagements – Insourcing allows for greater control , ownership and oversight over progress , however some situations may benefit from

The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and driving them to your competitors .

out-sourcing generic , low-skill or volumetric work to remove the burden of the mundane from employees , while selectively outsourcing non domain specialist services .

Important to note is that none of these suggestions will be effective if the work environment is undesirable . The pandemic threw a spanner in traditional workplace arrangements and the proven success of flexible work resulted in a mass re-think of our working lives . As the skills gap widens and salaries surge to secure talent to fill demand , flexibility will remain one of the most critical elements to a desirable workplace .

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