Published: 12/6/2012
Many owners at small tech companies lose their top employees because they are unable challenge their staff on a day-to-day basis or give them the salaries they wanted. A recent survey conducted by TechTarget revealed that it is the former rather than the latter when it comes to satisfying IT professionals in their current roles.
Don't let boredom happen
The IT world offers a diverse range of tasks that professionals can face throughout their average day, and making sure employees are constantly forced to use their brains should be of high focus for owners at small tech firms. The survey found 32 percent of IT staff members want their job to challenge them intellectually.
For example, Edward Roche, a network engineer for an auto finance company expressed appreciation for the fact that his current position provides consistent challenges that help him to keep growing and refining his IT know-how. "My salary isn't bad” for someone relatively new to the engineering field, he said.
Routines can be good for the workplace, but doing the same exact thing every day can often be a grind. An article for Inc. magazine outlined some insights from Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project blog, about how to promote employee satisfaction. She said it's important to add surprises every so often in the workplace, even if it's bringing in breakfast or lunch or holding an office giveaway - anything to break up the day.
Give employees some flexibility
With the increased amount of innovative technologies available for business use, owners at small tech firms might want to consider allowing their employees to telecommute or work on their own schedule. Fourteen percent of respondents said they favor a flexible schedule. Many IT professionals work long hours, so providing them with an opportunity to achieve a better work-life balance can be a smart strategy.
Rubin said employers can also launch programs and initiatives to have healthy employees. The Inc. magazine piece talked about how poor health can be as much as a detriment to the business as it is to the employee.
Giving employees the ability to create their own hours or work from home can improve employee satisfaction in the workplace; however, it's important firm owners have a clear policy their staff must follow. With business insurance policies in place, employers will have the opportunity to reprimand members of the workforce that don't follow their employee policies.