To Attract and Retain the Right Tech Talent, You Should Take a Hard Look at Remote Work Flexibility

By evaluating our own client demand against our national candidate pipelines, it is no surprise to read industry statistics that suggest approximately two thirds of US organizations feel that their IT job openings are far outstripping their ability to fill them. And what does that equate to? In the midst of the world’s digital revolution, the world is facing a serious IT resource shortage. And many IT resources who are currently working are feeling the effects of this: many complain that this shortage of IT resources is putting an undue burden on their workload. This escalates the crisis because with existing engineers burning out, and with so many companies needing IT help, it is making retention of top IT talent even more difficult.

So what can and should companies do right now to attract and retain the right technology candidates to their business?  Currently one of the biggest attraction for IT job seekers these days is a flexible work environment. Many tech workers went remote during the global COVID-19 pandemic and, according to the data, they don’t want to return to their offices full time.  Based on insights published in The State of Remote Engineering: The 2021 Edition by Terminal, 80% of IT workers say they now want the flexibility of working from home, at least partially, each week. And IT workers aren’t the only ones, either. Based on a 2020 study conducted by IBM, more than half of the American workforce wants to stay home. Having spoken with a number of our own employees across the country, many have expressed that being remote has actually made them more productive throughout the day given that they can leverage the time they save from commuting and put it to their work tasks.  And a study published by Inc. Magazine in 2019 – prior to the COVID-19 crisis – stated that remote workers:

  • Are 22% more happier
  • Claim to have a better work-life balance, work focus and less stress
  • More often put in work weeks of 40+ hrs
  • when compared with their peers who work full time on-site

Employers trying to attract IT talent should pay close attention to these data points. And the benefits of extending more remote work flexibility can be a two-way street of benefit for both employees and employers. When employers allow remote work options, it allows them to expand their talent pool by being able to source talent in a broader geographic area.  As well, through enabling remote work flexibility organizations can more critically evaluate office space requirements and potentially reduce their office footprints which can help them save operational costs.

Unusual times require new partnerships. That’s where Blackstone Talent Group can help. We give you a competitive edge over other companies by sourcing and hiring the best tech talent in the industry. Let us help you meet your strategic hiring goals. Contact us to find out more.

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