How to Hold on to Your Best Staff

Finding a candidate that ticks all your boxes is by no means an easy feat. Even worse is when you lose a valuable team member and need to replace them. The expense alone – ranging from recruitment to training – makes staff turnover a pressing concern for any business.

Right now, with the UK tech industry facing one of its biggest skills shortages yet, sourcing employees with the relevant experience and know-how is harder than ever. Developers, programmers, consultants and analysts are hot property! So, if your tech team is on fire, let’s keep it that way. Here are our top tips for holding on to your top talent…

Consider remote or hybrid working 

For a lot of tech companies, the concept of operating from a home office has been around for some time – mainly because the very nature of their roles allows for it. Since the rise of remote working across all industries thanks to the pandemic, it has become even more popular in the tech sector. For some, it cuts out a long or awkward commute. For others, it simply means getting to spend more time with their families. 

Nowadays, rather than being an additional perk or something employees can earn, the option to work from home is a given. In fact, some organisations are now forming purely remotely – working 100% online and conducting regular team calls and video meetings. With this in mind, if your staff are able to easily replicate their office set-up at home, it’s worth considering remote working – or even a hybrid model. Consider this: if you don’t trust your employees to fulfil their responsibilities remotely, another employer will.

At the same time, imposing a blanket WFH model for all staff isn’t necessarily very popular either. Not all of your employees will have a comfortable, productive working environment at home. Plus, it’s important to remember that office culture has a positive impact on your staff’s wellbeing. The best employers will provide a welcoming office environment – but it won’t be enforced.

Create the right working conditions

If you do offer an office, make sure it’s the kind of place that your staff actually want to be in. The tech giants and pioneering startups of Silicon Valley are known for their snazzy workspaces – packed out with ping-pong tables, hammocks, and fridges full of beer. While this ‘work hard, play hard’ culture might not necessarily suit your own company ethos, dismissing these sorts of office perks as cliché or extravagant can potentially do more harm than good. 

Think about it – the majority of your team might spend at least 40 hours at the office, so it’s important to take steps to demonstrate you value their comfort and are committed to ensuring they enjoy coming to work each day (even if you’re never going to install the hammock). Our team recently placed a candidate who left their current company for less money and a longer commute – all because they preferred their new working environment. Food for thought!

Be there when they need you

Being mindful of your employees’ comfort and happiness doesn’t stop at interior design. It also means fostering a safe, secure environment where they feel they can approach you with any issues or questions. 

A good leader takes a proactive path, tackling any problems head-on as and when they arise. Acting fast in these situations reassures your staff that their wellbeing is important to both you and the organisation – as opposed to blindly ignoring any tension, which will only risk leading them straight to the door.

Give them the right tools 

Still using Windows 95? We certainly hope not! But what equipment is your team using in the workplace? It’s important to consider the tools and hardware your employees work with day in, day out – and to make sure they remain up to scratch. 

For instance, do you have ergonomic chairs? The option to work at a standing desk? How fast are the computers? Is the printer reliable? All of these factors contribute to the happiness and productivity of any team member, but when it comes to the tech industry, keeping at the cutting edge is crucial. If a competitor allows their employees to choose their own, much better set-up, this alone could be enough to tempt yours away.

Keep your pay competitive

Today’s employment market is cut-throat to say the least. It’s highly likely that your best tech talent is being inundated with offers from your competitors, so don’t give them a reason to look elsewhere. While many are accepting lower pay for bigger perks, money still remains among the top priorities.

Committing to regular appraisals to examine staff performance – and providing your team with ample opportunity for pay increases and promotion – demonstrates that their efforts are being recognised and rewarded.

Turn to Cathcart Technology

All this is to say, don’t take your team for granted. Finding the right people for the job takes up valuable time and energy, so make sure this is reflected in the time and energy you spend on keeping them there. 

And if you want to pick the brains of our experienced team, feel free to get in touch. We’re always happy to offer our guidance and support.