Want to attract Top Talent? Make Sure You Have a Training Program

Compensation and benefits are important to attract and retain top IT talent, but new research from Robert Half Technology suggests that firms with professional development programs may also have an edge.  Sixty-eight percent of IT workers surveyed said that the ability to acquire new skills in a role is very important when evaluating a job opportunity. Additionally, 64 percent of respondents said they are very concerned about keeping their skills current in the next three to five years.  However, in a separate Robert Half Technology survey, 44 percent of CIOs said their companies do not have training and development programs for IT professionals.

IT workers know that the industry moves quickly and favors employers that will help them keep their technical skills relevant.  Training and development programs are equally beneficial to businesses because they allow them to build internal teams with hard-to-find technical skills. 

Robert Half Technology offers employers three tips to help IT staff keep their skills sharp:

·        Pay for relevant learning. Reimburse staff for relevant online classes, educational conferences and courses offered by professional associations or local colleges. If employees seek (or already hold) industry certifications, consider reimbursing them for the costs to obtain and maintain them.

·        Be flexible. If your team members are expected to complete professional development courses on their personal time, they may forgo training opportunities altogether. Be willing to make scheduling accommodations or adjust workloads when necessary.

·        Look inside. If you simply don’t have the budget to reimburse employees for continuing education expenses, tap internal subject matter experts. Hold brown-bag training sessions so one employee can educate others on a particular topic. Mentoring arrangements are another proven and cost-efficient way to transfer knowledge and support development.