Sanctions, changes in the political situation and a sharp outflow of specialists in the labor market are forcing companies to look for new ways to attract and retain IT specialists. Employee turnover averaged 12% for 2023 due to the volatile situation and resource availability constraints have become a major concern. The IT labor market is undergoing constant changes: in the face of growing competition for talent, it is not enough for companies to offer high salaries alone.
Internal training and development
Lack of specialists and high competition in the market lead to a rapid increase in salaries, which makes the search for personnel even more difficult – salary alone is no longer enough to attract employees. New mechanisms are needed to attract applicants and interact with employees.
One of the tools that have shown effectiveness is the introduction of training within the company. Training programs not just improve the qualifications of specialists, but also motivate them to stay in the company.
This is not a formality, but an investment in the future of a high-tech company also because the IT sphere is constantly transforming, offering new tools for work. According to the Association of Managers and Online Schools, part of the Ultimate Education educational company, in 2023, more than a third of Russian companies increased the budget for employee training.
In today’s labor market, employees value companies where they see the prospects for their professional development – both in money and in position. Openness of the internal training process, mentoring programs, where experienced specialists train young employees, attract applicants. If within the company there is no way to deploy a mentoring program, now it is possible to contact online schools and universities to draw up individual training and development programs for a specific task.
Investing in employee development creates an attractive image of the company, strengthens the reputation of the employer. In turn, transparent promotion criteria and a clear system of grades help employees grow: an internal personnel reserve is formed, which ensures the stable operation of the company in conditions of turbulence. Modern IT specialists are looking not just for work, but for an interesting and developing environment. The role of the head of the company is updated: he must be not just a competent professional, but also a real leader who can motivate and inspire.
External image of the company – HR brand
The recruiter is the first person with whom the candidate interacts, so the positive impression of interacting with him forms an opinion about the company. Quality networking is important in the IT industry, because people often change jobs, and a recruiter should always have a pool of proven candidates. Strong relationships with candidates are important, even if they are not suitable for the current vacancy.
Labor market research not only in Russia, but also in the world notes another current trend. For job seekers, EVP (Employee Value Proposition) is becoming increasingly important – a value proposition that the company offers to employees in exchange for their labor. It can be both material remuneration in the form of salaries and bonuses, and intangible one – flexible hours, development opportunities, interesting projects. For example, a “senior” – an employee with over 5 years of experience – most often prefers flexibility not in the work schedule only, but also in the choice of projects. He will not be interested in such intangible goods as corporate merch and coffee, but he may be attracted by the opportunity to pump skills and high wages, and medical insurance. EVP covers five aspects.
Payouts. The main monetary remuneration in the face of a shortage of specialists is of great importance: in order to retain an employee, it must be higher than the market. According to Khabr Career, the median salary of IT specialists in the first half of 2024 increased by 8% year-on-year, to 152 thousand rubles.
Work-life balance. Qualified specialists want to control their personal time and work, so the possibility of remote work and hybridity is a current trend in the IT industry. For example, zoomer employees prefer remote work, and millennials more often choose a hybrid format with the ability to work both in the office and from home.
Career stability. These are both predictable schedules and guaranteed working hours, as well as career opportunities: training, mentoring programs, effective process management. In the IT sphere – a system of gradings with a transparent roadmap, when a person understands what he needs to do to move to a new level.
Environment. A comfortable atmosphere in the company matters, according to recent research by VTsIOM, 9 out of 10 people are constantly stressed, which is one of the factors that reduce work efficiency. A positive environment is formed by an active corporate culture and support for employee initiatives: football teams, marathons with the support of the HR brand and other events – everything unites people of interest, helping informal communication.
Respect. Applicants with experience, whose deficit the industry is experiencing the most, expect respect and equal partnership from the employer. The role of tone of voice is increasing – understanding the mission of the company and its coincidence with the interests of candidates. Skills and knowledge are now valued more than appearance and compliance with the dress code.
The relationship between the company and employees must be built on mutual respect. The lack of personnel does not mean that you should indulge all the whims of candidates: the company also has its own requirements and boundaries that must be observed. A demonstration of expertise through media and social networks serves to strengthen the employer’s reputation. Participation in podcasts and webinars, the organization of hackathons and master classes strengthens the company’s HR brand. Social networks, website and other communication channels should create a single image, following the communication strategy.
Non-standard approaches to hiring
Social networks are not just a tool for promoting an HR brand, but also a way to get to know the candidate and his interests closer. The relevance of communication in social networks is growing. Modern recruitment automation tools allow, without leaving the interface, to write a message to popular instant messengers, get an answer, so the information will not be lost and the entire history of interaction with the candidate will be preserved.
Personnel hunger in IT is noted not only in Russia. It is difficult for companies around the world to attract and retain talent, because the usual recruiting techniques stop working. The IT sphere is distinguished by its creative approaches to hiring. It is in the high-tech industry that new recruiting techniques are emerging: lack of qualified specialists, market turbulence, acceleration and digitalization of the business environment stimulate adaptability and flexibility in hiring.
Referral programs are an effective way to attract new employees on the recommendation of your own employees. If in general such programs are introduced by about a quarter of employers, then for the IT industry this share is higher: some companies stimulate employees financially to attract colleagues, paying remuneration depending on the level of the candidate. Specialists wander from company to company thanks to a close professional circle, for example: the team leaves for timlid from one project to another – from company to company, because employees are comfortable working with each other. On the one hand, this increases staff turnover, but on the other hand, performance increases.
It was the problems with the outflow of personnel that led to the spread of outstaffing in IT. Hiring an employee means taxes, social benefits, and the time and resources to adapt and motivate them. Sometimes the cost of personnel support and dismissal exceeds the original investment, considering Total Cost of Ownership (or life cycle cost) in relation to people, and not to the product, you can see that the real costs include not just the initial investment, but also the costs of finding, supporting and dismissing an employee. If you expect a short period of work, the fulfillment of point tasks, then cooperation in the outstaffing format optimizes costs. This explains also the popularity of hybrid formats: a combination of full-time employees, freelancers and freelancers on contract. It is important that the same material and non-material incentives are available to everyone.
The One Day Offer (ODO) technique – a one-day offer – has its pros and cons. The accelerated hiring method allows to carry out all stages of selection in one day. The advantages of this approach include saving time, attracting highly motivated candidates and the ability to stand out from competitors. But it is necessary to take into account the high requirements for the preparation and organization of the process, as well as the great risk of error in evaluating candidates.
Methods such as trial days and internships help, on the one hand, companies find talented young specialists, and on the other, candidates get acquainted with the work, atmosphere, and make a final decision. Large IT companies have long been successfully cooperating with universities and have their own internship programs to attract talented young specialists in order to educate them in accordance with the requirements of the company’s corporate culture.
In the context of increasing competition and the outflow of IT specialists, it is important to pay attention to young personnel, which, thanks to mentoring and adaptation programs, can become a valuable asset for the employer. However, there are risks here: the main problem with this approach is that in a couple of years the personnel can grow and leave the company, and there is no time to recoup their training. Therefore, in modern realities, it is important to increase employee loyalty by strengthening the internal HR brand, to ensure that wages correspond to or exceed the market.
Recruitment automation
Modern tools make hiring processes more efficient than before. Services for automating routine tasks free up recruiters’ time and resources, speeding up the search for candidates and hiring. Filtering resumes based on AI technologies, analyzing large amounts of data in a short time, helps at the selection stage to determine the applicant’s compliance with the company’s requirements.
Integration of services with social networks and platforms allows you to expand the coverage of candidates and build communication, reducing the risk of losing information from different channels. Video interview services are a convenient and quick way to select candidates. Online testing and questionnaires test knowledge and skills without wasting time on face-to-face meetings.
Attracting and retaining IT professionals is a complex task that requires an integrated approach and a strong HR brand. In the IT sphere, universal specialists who can perform a variety of tasks are increasingly in demand. The grades have decreased – a specialist with four years of experience can apply for the position of senior. In turn, experts are looking for work in teams with competent leaders and development opportunities. A successful HR strategy is not only attracting new employees, but also creating conditions for their professional growth and increasing loyalty to the company. By creating a truly comfortable work environment, the company can retain the best IT professionals.
By Julian Tyrnov, Founder and Director of AI Tools Recruitment Automation Service for Huntlee HR (Skolkovo Resident)