Aug 17, 2020 | Management
With working from home looking more like a long-term reality than a short-term solution, Jenny Perkins explains how employers can keep workers engaged
The UK government is now letting employers decide if the time is right to bring office-based staff back to work. So far, many have decided not to. In fact, British Chamber of Commerce research found that 62 per cent of employers expect some or all of their staff to remain working remotely at least for the next 12 months. Health secretary Matt Hancock has suggested that the right to work from home could be more strongly enshrined in law as it becomes “the norm”. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has also said employees can carry on working from home “forever”.
When it comes to the future of work, there is no shortage of views on what the ‘new normal’ will entail. But one thing that researchers and commentators everywhere agree on is that remote working will become a lot more prevalent.
So, what have we learned since we went into lockdown in March that could help us make remote working work well for employers and employees alike?
Although working from home has become increasingly widespread in recent years, not every employer actively supported it. Many felt that for employees to be really productive, they needed to be in the office. All too often, this stemmed from a lack of trust. Many managers like to see where their teams are and what they’re doing. Lockdown forced a sudden and seismic change as more managers had to let go and become more flexible.
Trust and flexibility are key as we take tentative steps back towards the office. It looks like many organisations will adopt a hybrid model, combining that time in the office with more remote working. As we enter this period of transition, leaders and managers have a critical role to play.
When planning for the future, we need to ask employees what they want. We are going to see an increase in formal requests for flexible working, so be proactive about offering flexibility and choice. We can keep this conversation alive as guidelines and circumstances change. The future is uncertain, but if employees feel they are listened to, they are more likely to feel an active part of that future.
Every manager is now faced with challenges they have never had to deal with before. Many who have previously had a strong preference for sitting in a shared office space with their teams have had to make changes to their leadership style. This isn’t always easy, and organisations can provide valuable support. Virtual learning offers opportunities for development that can be implemented quickly. You may benefit from building skills such as virtual leadership and managing remote workers across your organisation. This learning can cover specific areas such as listening skills to help managers build that all-important trust. Coaching can also be invaluable during periods of transition, helping managers to reflect on their behavior and find new ways to deal with issues.
A positive and supportive culture is of course key to building trust and keeping people engaged in our virtual world. And often getting together face-to-face helps us to build that company culture. Again, managers have a critical role to play in building this culture. Virtual coffees, quizzes and online events all help. However, ultimately great cultures come from employees feeling valued and trusted. Informal conversations, support networks, and a focus on wellbeing and work/life balance are important. Rewards and recognition help, too. Some big corporates, such as Citigroup and RB, have given all employees a day off as a thank you for going the extra mile during the Covid crisis.
The role of the manager as a coach has really come to the fore in recent months. Many have found new ways of building relationships of trust as we support employees to adopt healthy and productive new ways of working. As ‘new’ becomes ‘normal’ we all need to keep building that trust and create the future of work together.
Jenny Perkins is head of engagement at Cirrus
Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.
Aug 17, 2020 | Management
IT professionals work in a field that is inherently susceptible to change. While bedrock concepts such as software development, administration of networks or operating systems and security requirements have been in place for decades, infrastructural evolution is a factor that has grown more prevalent in recent years. In the 1990s many system administrators got Novell CNE (Certified Novell Engineer) or Microsoft MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) certifications and then dwelt fairly predictably within those realms. Now, however, mobile and cloud computing, the rise of big data and the importance of business continuity/disaster recovery have made today’s tech landscape a very different place from the almost quaint era of desktop client/server management and exclusively in-house systems.
This evolution had a significant impact on information technology employment and the available career options therein. Many types of jobs can now be performed remotely (or overseas, provoking more global competition), physical systems are being replaced by virtualized editions and entire data centers are moving up to the cloud, endangering certain traditional roles – while also laying the groundwork for new opportunities.
It’s been said for years now that IT workers would benefit from stronger business knowledge in order to remain competitive. This factor is undoubtedly important as occupational lines are blurring – the system administrator parked in the server room fixing problems while avoiding human contact is being replaced by the technology and communications expert well-versed in training and project management, offering face-to-face solutions geared towards meeting company needs rather than establishing them.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that while business skills come in handy to establish relevance and prove one’s value, focusing on the right technologies is an even bigger part of the picture – it represents the foundation of the trade. Business skills are only useful when they are wedded to meaningful technology to capitalize upon them.
Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.
Aug 17, 2020 | Management
A new report from Kudelski Security provides companies tips for how to recruit and retain talent up for the digital challenges of tomorrow.
The market for top cybersecurity talent will remain competitive in the years ahead, as this first-line network defense is prioritised and buttressed for the rigors of tomorrow. Gartner estimates that nearly two million security positions will remain vacant through 2022. To provide organisations with insights to identify, recruit, and train premium cybersecurity professionals, Kudelski Security released a report titled “Cyber Business Executive Research: Building the Future of Security Leadership.”
The report was created in partnership with the firm’s Client Advisory Council and utilises information gleaned from surveys and interviews with more than 100 American and European CISOs.
Key findings: The importance of CISO soft skills
On the security leader side, the report highlights the invaluable need for soft skills such as strong communication and team-building capabilities alongside technical know-how. Interestingly enough, 82% of CISOs interviewed believed these communication skills to be critical. This compared to about half (52%) of individuals who believed hands-on technology experience to be critical.
Interpersonal talents will provide the CISO with the communication skills required to aptly manage emergent organisational models featuring increased telecommuting in the years ahead. Specifically, the report notes that ideal CISOs will have a 50/50 balance of both technical knowledge and this increasingly prioritised soft skill set, as this combination of talent both is currently rather rare among these professionals.
Insights for security leaders, and recruiters
Overall, the report details the principle difficulties surrounding hiring and retaining well-equipped security leaders. To assist, the report also provides insights to aspiring security leaders and executive recruiters, ranging from brand building and advice for building a network of future talent to protocols for handling the often lengthy CISO recruiting process.
Executive recruiters
Kudelski Security details protocols for talent acquisition to ensure long-term company health, especially in the event of CISO vacancies in-house. The respondent CISOs recommend that executive recruiters look across industries to find premium candidates, especially if their specific industry is known to be lagging in modern cybersecurity measures.
Approximately half of American CISOs and more than 90% of European respondents reported that the average recruiting time to bring in a new CISO is between six months to a year. As a result of these lengthy vacancy periods, it’s recommended that executive recruiters utilise an interim virtual CISO during the search for the ideal candidate.
It’s also recommended that companies start to consider “nurturing a talent pipeline” of candidates in the military, universities, and technical schools. Similarly, the report also reiterates the importance of identifying current employees with industry knowledge, the aforementioned soft skills, and “some ambition for career growth” as these individuals can eventually helm leading security positions with adequate training and mentorship.
Security leaders
For those security leaders with CISO aspirations, it’s suggested that these individuals begin to build key relationships in their industry and use social media platforms to increase their visibility and build their brand. Nearly one-third (29%) of those interviewed believed that risk management and compliance as well as governance positions are the “best pre-CISO” roles for aspiring security leaders.
Our expert IT recruitment consultants are here to take the pressure off you when recruiting someone new, permanent or contract. We liaise with candidates with the utmost care to ensure that their candidate experience is a positive one. Call us on 0207 788 6600 and let us help you Recruit Someone Worth Recruiting.
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