ANTenna Blog -- Business & E-Business

There are fewer computer science graduates than there used to be and, because they cannot afford high turnover rates or IT guys who aren't that into their jobs, smaller businesses need to get the best of that shrinking lot and they need to keep them there. One way to do that is, surprisingly, employee training.

In a recent article, CIO Insight blames CIOs for the current IT skills shortage. Writes Allan Alter: "If companies were serious about ending the skills shortage, they would make more investments in IT training. A new CompTIA survey of technology managers on skills gaps in the IT workforce found that sending employees for external professional training is the most frequently cited way to enhance IT employees' skills."

And keep them happy. The article goes on to note that larger companies increased their spending on tech training less than smaller companies. Why?

Writes Alter: "For one thing, there's the risk that employees could accept training and then take jobs at other companies. But that's a controllable risk: If a company is a well-managed, interesting place to work, most technical workers will be content to stay. The real issue is that many companies aren't interested in keeping IT professionals for a long stretch of time."

But smaller companies are -- or at least they should be. Alter continues: "Information systems professors Thomas Ferratt of the University of Dayton and Ritu Agarwal of the University of Maryland have found that companies follow different IT HR strategies. One approach is to develop IT staff members for the long term, emphasizing career development and commitment to employees. Companies that follow this approach are more likely to have adequate IT staffing levels and lower turnover rates."

Here is an opportunity for smaller businesses to have the edge on their larger size competitors. Tech training indicates that your company is interested in this employee for the long haul – and that goes a long way to keeping that employee from straying. Alter writes that "many large companies regard IT workers as disposable: They're willing to pay top dollar for talent, but then drop these workers when they’re no longer needed."

Show your employees that they are not disposable (because they really aren't). We are headed into a recession, but remember that if you want your company to go the distance you need your employees to do that as well. Develop their skills and they'll help you develop your business. It's that simple.