| The employment market for IT professionals is finally | | | | will leave as soon as a better opportunity comes their |
| back in full swing. After about 4 years of outsourcing, | | | | way - especially if the opportunity is provided by a |
| downsizing and complete businesses going down it is | | | | company that treats employees with respect and |
| an employee market again. Many IT employees were | | | | offers a fair salary. If the losing employer thinks they |
| holding on to existing jobs to wait out the rough times | | | | can fix the problem by now offering a little more |
| for employees. Others were not so lucky and had to | | | | money they are in for a surprise. If you kick a dog into |
| find a new job - either in the same field or in a | | | | the guts for 5 years he will still shy back even if you |
| different career path. In most cases an employee | | | | are mow offering a cookie. The money saved by |
| ended up with less money and a smaller benefits | | | | offering no benefits and low salaries will now have to |
| package. Employers had the choice and could push | | | | be spend on hiring a new employee for a higher |
| their requirements and options knowing that the | | | | market value (remember: the market picked up |
| employees had not much choice. | | | | already) and the loss of productivity for a while until the |
| But now in late 2005 things are changing again and if a | | | | new employee is properly trained cuts into the margins. |
| company was using the low salary approach with no | | | | It would have been cheaper and better to avoid |
| benefits for the last few years he better is prepared | | | | low-balling right from the beginning. |
| for the backfire. Employees read the same publications | | | | Businesses that value their employees usually have |
| and the same statistics as the employers does. The IT | | | | much fewer problems retaining the talent. They even |
| employees know everything about outsourcing, right | | | | get new employees referred by existing ones which |
| sourcing or best sourcing or whatever acronym | | | | often proves to be a good choice when hiring new |
| employers came up with to disguise the fact that work | | | | talent. Small treats during hard times can pay off easily. |
| can eventually be done for less by someone else. | | | | If an employer explains that overall money is tight due |
| Employees also know when the market starts picking | | | | to market conditions, but then shows appreciation |
| up again and an employer turning a blind eye to that | | | | when the market picks up gains much more respect |
| fact can shoot himself in the foot this way. | | | | than somebody trying to squeeze employees to the |
| So, what should companies do to retain talented | | | | last drop. Free pizza lunches every once in a while or |
| people when the market picks up again? In some | | | | a gift certificate for Best Buy or the movie theatre |
| cases there is nothing they can do. If the employer | | | | help in keeping morale high and people motivated |
| added insult to injury (meaning: treating the employees | | | | during hard market conditions, too. |
| like slaves during the market downturn) the employees | | | | |