Build a Future-Forward Tech Team: 3 Steps to Success

By Thomas Vick, technology hiring expert with Robert Half

In today’s world of rapidly advancing technology, employers need the right talent on their teams to respond to changing business needs quickly and effectively.

However, Robert Half research shows that the tech skills gap is a prevalent issue: according to technology leaders surveyed, 65% report a skills gap, and 62% say the gap is more evident than one year ago.

Technology leaders are often faced with competing priorities to help drive business forward. However, to accomplish their goals, they need to solve for the skills gap on their team. Here are three strategies to implement to get the right skills on board and succeed in today’s fast-paced business environment:

1.????? Hire and develop high potential professionals. Trying to find the perfect candidate is not likely going to happen with unemployment rates for technology professionals being as low as they are. In addition, waiting for someone who checks all your boxes to materialize could mean a delayed hiring process, and missing out on skilled, trainable talent in the meantime.?

Instead, focus on hiring people who possess most of the requisite skills, and a lot of potential. Then, develop and train them into the ideal employee for the role, and continue to offer opportunities for upskilling with an eye toward their future development. In the long run, you’ll have a highly skilled, loyal employee who can see themselves furthering their career with your company.

2.????? Embrace a scalable talent model. In today’s market, project inertia appears to be easing up. From a talent management standpoint, the challenge becomes how to support essential projects, like security enhancements, at the same time as new and often resource-intensive initiatives. Plus, there’s an added complication for technology leaders looking to hire workers with the right skill sets for critical projects – some are competing with other business functions within their own company that are looking for professionals with similar abilities and experience.

One solution for leaders who find themselves in this situation is to leverage contract professionals and consultants alongside full-time staff, allowing for scalability up and down based on project load and strategic initiatives. Contract professionals can also be key in resolving a skills gap on your team and allow for flexibility in day-to-day workloads. This frees up full-time employees to focus on other priorities while contract professionals move special projects toward their end goal, all without adding to your permanent headcount. ?

Depending on your tech team’s unique needs, contract professionals can come onboard to provide support for as long as you need them. And at the end of their set time with your company, you may find you’d like to invite them to join your permanent staff.?

3.????? Create a continuous cycle of learning that fuels innovation. Creating continuous learning and development opportunities for your staff is crucial in today’s tight talent market, where employee retention is a concern.

Consider job rotation programs to help your staff develop broader skill sets and gain meaningful experience that enable them to deliver better results and explore different career paths. Cross-training opportunities also help them understand how their work impacts the broader organization.

Encourage employees to participate in hackathons and innovation challenges focusing on specific areas, like security or data science, that allow professionals to apply their skills in real-world scenarios, collaborate with colleagues and develop solutions to real business problems.

Knowledge is power – encouraging knowledge-sharing among employees through internal forums or social platforms can enrich skills and stimulate exploration. You can also encourage your staff to share their takeaways from courses, webinars and conferences. ?

For more ideas to create a continuous cycle of learning that fuels innovation on your tech team, check out Building Future Forward Tech Teams, an e-book from Robert Half.

For more job search or career advice, contact Thomas Vick on LinkedIn.

About Thomas:

Thomas Vick, senior regional director with Robert Half, is a technology hiring and consulting expert. Based in Chicago, he leads operations for the company’s technology and marketing/creative talent solutions across Illinois, Tennessee and Missouri. Thomas joined Robert Half in 2010 and has held various leadership roles overseeing operations across the U.S. With over 17 years of experience in the staffing industry, Thomas is frequently quoted in the media on hiring trends and workplace topics. Thomas has been recognized multiple times by Robert Half for his leadership and growth of the business. He is currently a member of the Executives Club of Chicago.