3 ways that tech companies can overcome the digital skills shortage
When growing your business, there are a lot of things you may look for in a new employee. You may consider things like their values, or how well they may get on with their potential teammates. Of course, one of the biggest factors in your decision will probably be what skills they will bring with them.
In recent months, many tech companies have been struggling to find the right applicants to grow. According to government figures, almost half of companies have struggled to recruit for roles involving hard data skills, due to a limited pool of available talent.
If you’re having trouble finding the right people with the right skills, read on to find out more about the shortage, as well as three ways that you can overcome this problem.
Many businesses are concerned about the data skills shortage
In an increasingly digital world, the skills of knowing how to properly handle data have become integral to the economy. This is especially the case now that the coronavirus pandemic has made many businesses more reliant on the internet for both sales and their own supply chains.
Despite how important these skills are becoming, many businesses are concerned that they are in short supply. According to a survey, reported by the BBC, fewer than half of employers believe that young people leave education with the necessary digital knowledge.
This is a concerning prospect, as it means that many companies will struggle to recruit in the coming years. According to a report published by the Guardian, this skills shortage could cost the UK economy billions in lost productivity.
While the government has pledged to encourage more children and adults to learn these necessary skills, it may be some time before the supply meets the level of demand. Therefore, many businesses are having to adapt to overcome this problem.
Thankfully, if you’re struggling to find the right talent when recruiting, there are a few things you can do.
1. Offer training and apprenticeships
Offering opportunities for training and mentorship can be a useful solution if you’re struggling to find applicants with the right skills. While this would obviously require more input from you in the short term, while they pick up the necessary skills, in the long term it can have benefits.
This is because when you train a new hire, you can use this as an opportunity to instil them with your company’s values and way of doing things. This can save you time in the long run as they may need less supervision from you.
Furthermore, you can also tailor the digital skills training to suit your exact needs. For example, you can teach your new employee the specialist skills for a particular job role as well as general ones which could be applied to other jobs. This can help them to be more flexible if you need them to help a teammate.
Finally, training an employee from scratch can also help you to reduce staff turnover, as they will probably feel grateful for the opportunity you gave them.
According to research published by the BBC, 70% of young people would like their employers to invest in teaching them on the job. When you do so, you can make them feel more appreciated and competent at the role, which makes them more likely to stay on for a longer time.
2. Offer more employee benefits
Another option you could take if you’re struggling to fill a role is to change the employee benefits that the job offers. This can help you to attract a wider pool of talent and boost your chance of finding a recruit that’s right for your company’s workplace culture.
While offering higher pay is always an option, you may also want to offer perks such as:
- Flexible working hours
- Time off for mental health reasons
- The ability to work remotely.
The latter option is one of the most popular benefits and can be a great way to keep your employees happy and motivated. For tips on how your company can adapt to this style of working, read our previous blog for some useful suggestions.
3. Consider automating some tasks
While automation obviously can’t be used on many of the more specialist tasks in your company, it can sometimes have its uses. This can help to remove some of the more time-consuming jobs of your existing staff, enabling them to become more efficient.
One of the most obvious areas where you could use automation to increase efficiency is in tasks with a high degree of data input, such as HR. Alternatively, it can be helpful for administrative communication, such as company newsletters or requests for leave.
Automating tasks can help your business become more efficient, giving your employees more ability to support each other with difficult tasks. Not only can this help your company, but it can also boost the wellbeing of your teammates.
Get in touch
If you’re hoping to grow your company soon and want to protect it against any unexpected problems, we can help. Email creative@eggarforrester.com or use our contact form to request a call back from our team.
