Mar 24, 2014 | IT
1st April is a matter of days away and budgets are top of the agenda for most UK businesses, but what does this mean for IT? Will it be another year of forgoing software upgrades and simply having to make do with outdated software, or will investments in data management and cloud services make fire-fighting an easier task, freeing more time for projects to help take your business forwards?
In a recent survey by Calyx, it reported that CIO’s are no longer playing a major part in shaping business strategy. Over 200 CIO’s and IT Managers were surveyed and when asked what they felt their most important responsibility was –
- 33% saw it as driving growth through technology
- 16% actually spent their working day driving the development of business through IT
- 11% said that they mainly focused on developing strategic concepts around IT to move their organisation forward
- 46% reported that their everyday tasks mainly involve fire-fighting to keep systems up and running and this was despite…
- 64% of those surveyed sitting on the Board of Directors.
Even the most talented and well-paid IT professionals can’t help a business grow if they are preoccupied with daily fire-fighting. But it seems that this isn’t the biggest frustration. So whilst almost half of CIO’s and IT Managers are submerged in BAU processes;
- 60% are frustrated at having to deal with data management issues
- 44% are consistently having to deal with security issues
- 33% are tired of fulfilling “board-driven demands for cost-efficiencies and cost cutting.
But it’s not all bad news. Whilst this may be the reality of a vast majority of IT leaders and lower budgets have meant difficult conditions for IT, a recent survey by TechTarget revealed that –
- 59% reported a budget increase was seen in 2013
- 65% are expecting a budget increase in 2014
- 37% plan to expand IT to support business growth
- 59% plan to purchase new or upgrade existing software
- 52% plan to purchase new hardware to expand computing capacity and increase energy efficiency
- 35% expect to pay more on maintenance in 2014, mainly focusing on those maintenance issues that were ignored in the leaner years
- 38% plan to grow spending in private and public cloud services
- 20% plan to increase the use of automation in the business which will free IT to focus on more strategic areas
- 31% may add IT staff in 2014 to meet the overall goals of business growth and targeted IT projects.
Whilst none of these things alone will negate the need for fire-fighting, it will make BAU much easier, making the IT Department a happier, more productive environment.
But, what if you work in a business that is yet to see the benefits of a more stable economic landscape. There are still a few companies keeping a tight hold on the purse strings –
- 13% of CIO’s/IT Managers are faced with the prospect of maintaining current service levels with flat budgets
- 7% have been told that they must reduce IT spending
- 61% of those faced with lower budgets will curtail hardware spending
- 37% will cut back on maintenance
With the IT Managers rarely being perceived as the hub for organisational innovation and growth, we are beginning to get there and 2014 looks set to be the year that the IT Department strikes back. With new technologies saturating the market that will significantly impact the IT function over the next few years, now is the perfect time to make sure you are well-positioned to drive the success of the business as a whole. Time to step up to the plate and get the “keep the lights on” issues streamlined and focus on efficient IT management, as this is set to be the key challenge over the next 12 months to ensure your business is able to approach things in a more strategic fashion, to be able to realise the benefits of these next-generation technologies sooner, resulting in claiming the competitive advantage.
We’d love to hear your thoughts. Join in the conversation on Facebook or Twitter.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Mar 3, 2014 | IT
Employee Engagement – Just a cliché or does it really make a big difference?
There is a trend that is gathering pace in the enlightened companies of the UK – motivated staff are rising to more challenges and are happy to put in longer hours and take on bigger workloads in order to help their business achieve their goals. What great news. But how do they do it?
The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For survey shows that despite falls in the sense of well-being, levels of engagement in employees rose across the board. If you, as a manager, are leading and inspiring your team, giving them a sense of belonging and making them feel their opinions matter, it seems that any pressure they are feeling to achieve more for less is not affecting them as much as you may expect.
So, if you have had to enforce a pay freeze in that last 18 months, you wouldn’t imagine standing a chance of being within the Top 100 Best Companies to Work For, right? Not necessarily. There is a company who has had a pay freeze and on it’s first attempt in entering the Top 100, has come in the top 5. What a great result! Despite the impact the lack in increased salary has had on the employees, the flexible hours, mentoring, social events and fitness programmes mean that staff are enjoying their time in the office and are still motivated and inspired to do well. But without leadership and team spirit, this may well be a very different story.
There is one company who has a “cuddle budget”. This is used for staff treats like nights out and champagne, but with one simple aim – to celebrate success. When was the last time your team celebrated success? You’d be amazed how much these small, thoughtful rewards will motivate your team to reach that ambitious goal and put in the extra effort to achieve. There isn’t a person in the world that doesn’t need to feel appreciated, it’s as basic a requirement as food and this is where less-enlightened companies are missing the point. There are some companies out there that are still heavily reliant on job insecurity as a motivator, but do those on the ‘shop floor’ really care for a company who is simply asking for ‘more for less’?
Getting the best out of your team is not all about pay but it is about behaviour. In times when everyone is under pressure to perform that little bit harder, work that little bit longer for the same pay as they did 2 years ago, it has never been more important to give honest and sincere appreciation for those that are going the extra mile. Rewards, no matter how small can create an eager want within your team and this will in turn, have an impact on your bottom line. The Work Foundation recently published a study that reported managers who invested 10% in Employee Engagement strategies could raise the profits of their company by £2,700, per employee, per year.
A happy, motivated and engaged workforce means –
- reduced sickness – dis-engaged employees are 3 times more likely to call in sick
- better attrition – dis-engaged employees are 4 times more likely to leave for an alternative job
- stronger economy – The Work Foundation claims that making small investments into employee engagement could contribute £49bn to the economy
- embracing change – an engaged employee finds it much easier to implement organisational change to achieve a faster or improved outcome
- increased customer satisfaction
- increased productivity
- increased profits
Have you implemented any employee engagement tactics that have made a considerable difference to the productivity and engagement of your team? We’d love to hear about it if you have. Follow the conversation on Twitter or Facebook.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Mar 3, 2014 | IT
The Great Female Debate
The press has been filled with articles about women being under-represented in this and that and even the comedian Dara O’Briain got himself into hot water this week by the press misunderstanding a comment he made about the BBC’s new policy to increase the number of women on panel shows. What he was in fact saying was that even though he supported the policy, he felt it should not be made public as this would make women on panel shows seen as “token” women. Could this be the same in the IT sector?
The Sunday Times revealed the Top 100 Mid and Large Sized Companies to Work For this week and at the bottom was a promotion for the Top 50 Employers for Women 2014. What difference should it make? Surely it’s the best man or indeed woman for the job as opposed to ticking the gender equality box? Or is it?
The low representation at executive level and near invisibility at board level on technology companies, is down to the “right” women not being available for these tasks. There are simply not enough women in technology and that scarcity is represented all the way to the top. Simply enforcing policies similar to the BBC will surely have minimal impact.
You don’t have to look far to see companies like Pinterest, where 70% of the users are female have 100% of its board as male; Google, Facebook and Twitter went public without women on their board; and even Apple only has one woman, former Avon CEO Andrea Jung serving on it’s board.
I read an article towards the end of last year that claimed a report conducted by the European Commission found “Lack of women in ICT sector costs Europe €9bn a year” How is that possible? Well, here’s how…
For every 1,000 women in the EU with a degree, only 29 have a specialism in ICT, compared to 95 for men and only 4 in those 1,000 will ever work within the ICT sector. Reports show that women are more likely to leave the sector mid-career
- Only 19.2% of ICT workers have a female superior, whilst 45.2% of non-ICT workers have a female boss
- Firms that have women in higher positions “achieve 35% higher return on equity and 34% better total return to shareholders” when compared with other firms
- The EC came to the figure of €9bn based on the assumption that if women in ICT roles rose by 115,000, an average of €78,000 per female worker would be generated in increased productivity.
Is there not already enough of a skills shortage within the IT sector without making it worse? If the media continue to dine out on these reports, findings and figures, it is going to do nothing to help improve the image of the ICT sector for future generations of women.
This debate has been around for years and shows no sign of slowing, but what are we actually doing to help change the situation? Do we need to? Is it that women are getting overlooked for the top ICT roles or are they simply not out there in the first place?
We’d love to hear your thoughts – follow the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Feb 21, 2014 | IT
Finding the Perfect Employee
With last week seeing reports from the ONS that UK unemployment fell by 125,000 to just 7.2% and the latest estimates showing 193,000 more people were in work October to December compared to the previous 3 months, you now have to be extremely creative to find great employees.
Recruiting for an employee to fill your IT requirement can be both a frustrating and time consuming process. From writing the job spec and the advert, which has to be exciting, challenging and offering that little something interesting to attract great people, to the actual interview with likely candidates, your time is guaranteed to be stretched to the maximum for a period of time.
Here are 5 tips to help you find a great employee
- When reviewing a CV, look for length of time on the job. A candidate with several short-term employers of less than 12 months (other than those that have been working in contract roles), could mean a lack of commitment on their part.Of course, with all the redundancies that were around not so long ago, it could just mean that they were caught in the fallout. However, proceed with care – it isn’t always necessarily a fact that people were laid off because the company was cutting back. Star performers are laid off as a last resort, so check references carefully, especially if the company is still in business. You don’t want someone else’s “deadwood”.
- Look for gaps in employment and ask for an explanation. Long periods out of work can signal time out to update education, or to “give something back”, but it may also indicate something more sinister.
- Watch the employment dates for “overlaps” and if you can, check the cv against a public profile like LinkedIn – does it match? These could be simple errors, but it may also indicate that the candidate is not being truthful about previous employers. Ask the candidate to explain it, and be sure to call those employers and verify dates of employment with them.
- Have a copy of the job description at hand when you review the cv’s. The more skills that match your job description, the more likely you will be to have a great match. Focus on what they have done in the past that matches what you want them to do. Write a list of things you want them to do and then ask questions that will get those answers (or lack thereof).
- Sort your likely CV’s into two piles – one for those that look perfect to you, the other for those that look good. Conduct preliminary telephone interviews and ask them why they want to work for your Company. Whilst some may not be the superstar for today, you never know if they may be of interest to you in the future. Leave them with a good feeling about your Company.
While these tips aren’t the whole picture in hiring a great employee, using them increases your chances that you will hire the perfect match for your Company.
With the restrictions on information that a previous employer is allowed to give you, it is important to pay attention to all the details you get from the candidate. It will make the difference between having a GREAT employee working for you or, just having a GOOD one.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Feb 7, 2014 | IT
Langley James IT Recruitment Market Summary – January
Key points
- Growth of permanent and contract appointments eases but remains marked
- Vacancies rise at fastest pace since May 1998
- Permanent salary growth virtually unchanged from December’s six-year high
Further sharp rises in permanent and contract appointments
Permanent staff appointments continued to increase strongly in January. Although the pace of expansion eased from the 45 month high we recorded in December. Similarly, contract appointments rose at a rate only marginally slower than December’s 15 year peak.
Strongest growth of demand for staff since May 1998
Overall job vacancies rose at a sharp and accelerated rate in January. The pace of expansion was the fastest in over fifteen-and-a-half-years.
Permanent salaries continue to increase markedly…
The rate of growth of permanent staff salaries remained elevated at the start of 2014, holding at a pace broadly in line with December’s six year peak.
…amid declining availability of candidates.
Further falls in staff availability were signalled in January. Both permanent and contract candidate numbers declined at marked rates, albeit the slowest in three months.
Permanent IT staff skills in short supply – C++, Developers, General IT, Java, .Net, PHP, Project Managers, Support, Technical Consultants
IT Contractor staff skills in short supply – Business Intelligence, Developers, Java, .Net, Project Managers, SAP, Support, SQL.
Staff appointments
The number of people placed by Langley James increased further in January. Our IT Consultants reported a marked increase in permanent placements with the South of the UK showing the sharpest rise.
Having risen at the sharpest rate for over 15 years during December, our IT Consultants reported growth of contract placements eased marginally in January. We are seeing a trend of companies taking on contractors to undertake work whilst they look to secure a permanent candidate.
Vacancies
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that job vacancies were up 15.2% on an annual basis in the three months to December.
Demand for staff by sector
Permanent staff – Growth of demand was broad-based across all key types of permanent staff with Engineering now in the top spot. IT & Computing holding onto fourth place.
Contract staff – Engineering also featured in top place for contract staff demand with IT & Computing falling to sixth place.
Staff Availability
The availability of permanent candidates continued to fall at the start of 2014, with a range of skill-sets reported as being in short supply.
The availability of contract staff fell for the seventh month running in January. Although marked, the latest drop was slower than those recorded in the previous two months.
Remuneration
Average starting salaries for IT candidates placed in permanent jobs increased further in January. Permanent salaries rose in all four regions, with the South posting the sharpest rate of inflation.
Day rates for contract employment continued to rise in January.
About Langley James
Langley James was founded in 1999 by James Toovey, a highly respected recruitment industry professional. James wanted to provide something unique: a bespoke recruitment service which was founded on service excellence. With offices in London and Manchester, we are now providing our ‘boutique style’ recruitment services throughout the world and over the last 15 years have worked with some of the most respected companies in the world.
To find out why so many companies turn to Langley James for support for fulfilling their IT recruitment needs, call and speak to one of our specialist consultants today on 0845 124 9555.
Jan 13, 2014 | IT
Langley James IT Recruitment Market Summary – December
Key points
- Strongest rise in permanent placements since March 2010
- Contract requirements at fastest pace in over 15 years
- Permanent salary growth highest since October 2007
Stronger rises in permanent and contract appointments.
The number of people placed in permanent jobs continued to increase in December, with the rate of expansion accelerating to the sharpest since March 2010.
Vacancy growth holds near 15-year high.
Demand for staff continued to increase strongly in December.
Permanent salaries rise at fastest pace in over six years…
Average starting salaries for people placed in permanent jobs increased further in December with the rate of growth the strongest since October 2007. Contract staff pay rates rose at a solid pace that was slightly slower than in the previous month.
…amid declining availability of candidates.
The availability of candidates to fill permanent roles continued to fall in December.
Permanent IT staff skills in short supply – Business Analysts, Digital Marketing, General IT, Java, PHP, Web Developers.
IT Contractor staff skills in short supply – Business Intelligence, Digital Marketing, .Net, PHP, Web Developers.
Staff appointments
Our IT consultants signalled further growth of staff appointments in December, with both permanent and contract requirements increasing at faster rates. In fact, the latest increase was the third-strongest since the start of Langley James IT Recruitment in 1999.
Our IT consultants commented that growth of temp billings reflected a combination of greater demand from existing clients and the securing of new contracts.
Vacancies
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that job vacancies were up 14.9% on an annual basis in the three months to November. Latest available data signalled that internet-based recruitment spending rose by 4.6% in the second quarter of 2013.
Demand for staff by sector
Permanent staff – Growth of demand was broad-based across all key types of permanent staff with Executive/Professional moving into the top spot. IT & Computing remained in third place.
Contract staff – IT & Computing posted the fastest growth with Nursing/Medical and Accounting/Financial completing the top three placed in the demand for staff league table.
Staff Availability
Permanent staff availability fell at a sharp and accelerated rate in December. The sharpest reductions in permanent staff availability was shown in London and the Midlands.
The availability of contract staff fell for the sixth month running in December. Although easing slightly from November’s nine-year records, the rate of decline remained marked.
Remuneration
The rate of inflation of permanent staff salaries quickened further in December with our IT consultants reporting that these frequently attributed to shortages of quality candidates.
Rates of pay for contract employees increase for an eleventh month in December. Strong demand for staff was reported to have driven the latest growth of temp pay.
About Langley James
Langley James was founded in 1999 by James Toovey, a highly respected recruitment industry professional. James wanted to provide something unique: a bespoke recruitment service which was founded on service excellence. With offices in London and Manchester, we are now providing our ‘boutique style’ recruitment services throughout the world and over the last 14 years, have worked with some of the most respected companies in the world.
To find out why so many companies turn to Langley James for support for fulfilling their IT recruitment needs, call and speak to one of our specialist consultants today on 0845 124 9555.
Dec 9, 2013 | IT
Key points
- Permanent salary growth at six-year high amid declining candidate availability
- Overall vacancies increase at fastest pace since July 1998
- Permanent and contract appointment rise at strong, albeit slower rates
Slower but still marked growth of staff appointments.
The number of people placed in permanent and contract roles continued to rise in November.
Vacancies rise at strongest rate in over 15 years.
Overall demand for staff increased at a faster pace in November. Private sector demand for staff continued to show a much stronger trend than public sector demand.
Permanent salaries increase at fastest pace in six years…
Growth of permanent staff salaries accelerated further, reaching the strongest rate since November 2007. Contract staff pay rose at a solid pace that was sharper than October.
…as decline in candidate availability gathers pace
The availability of candidates to fill permanent roles fell further in November, with the rate of decline quickening to the sharpest since July 2007. Contract staff availability meanwhile fell at the fastest pace in nine years.
Permanent IT staff skills in short supply – Business Analysts, C#, C++, Developers, Java, PHP, Software Engineers.
IT Contractor staff skills in short supply – Developers, Infrastructure, .Net, SAP, SQL.
Staff appointments
Our IT consultants reported a further increase in the number of people they placed in permanent jobs in November. Strong growth of available job vacancies underpinning the latest rise in placements.
Billings received from contract workers continued to rise in November. The rate of growth was strong due to increased client activity levels.
Vacancies
Demand for staff increased further in November for both permanent and contract. The rate of growth was considerable, having accelerated to the strongest in over 15 years.
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that job vacancies were up 12.6% on an annual basis in the three months to October.
Demand for staff by sector
Permanent staff – Growth of demand was broad-based across all key types of permanent staff with engineering remaining the most sought-after category and IT moving to third place.
Contract staff – A shift in the market with Blue Collar sector showing the highest level of demand. The IT sector stays strong in 4th place.
Staff Availability
The availability of candidates to fill permanent job vacancies continued to fall in November. Moreover, the rate of decline was the sharpest since July 2007 with strong IT professionals in short supply.
Contract candidate availability declined for a fifth successive month in November – the sharpest for nine years.
Remuneration
Average starting salaries awarded to people placed in permanent jobs rose further in November. The higher salaries attributed to a combination of strong demand for staff and shortages of skilled candidates.
Daily rates for contractors also continued to increase in November.
Household Finance Index
The latest HFI survey provided a positive signal for the UK labour market, as workplace activity increased for the tenth successive month and at a solid pace.
IT was the strongest performing sector for workplace activity, followed by construction and manufacturing.
About Langley James
Langley James was founded in 1999 by James Toovey, a highly respected recruitment industry professional. James wanted to provide something unique: a bespoke recruitment service which was founded on service excellence. With offices in London and Manchester, we are now providing our ‘boutique style’ recruitment services throughout the world and over the last 14 years, have worked with some of the most respected companies in the world.
To find out why so many companies turn to Langley James for support for fulfilling their IT recruitment needs, call and speak to one of our specialist consultants today on 0845 124 9555.
Dec 2, 2013 | IT
A practice first coined at Hewlett Packard in the 1940’s and subsequently embraced by Steve Jobs, even in the current technological age, Managing By Wandering Around or MBWA has been proved to deliver far greater dividends than computer processing or watching the pennies.
It is all too easy to get embroiled in worrying if your company is doing well and forgetting about the people on the ground that make it happen and why those people chose to work for you.
How often do you say ‘hello’ to employees on a regular basis? Do you let them know how important they are to the success of the company? Do you know every employee by name?
You may be aware of the Hawthorne effect – the increase in productivity in the workplace when people feel that they are cared for. This doesn’t mean spending hours, chatting aimlessly about their weekend, or their holiday plans, but simply remembering to take the time to ask “how are you?” When employees are happy, loyal and engaged they miss less work, perform better, are more supportive of change and this results in profits being higher.
As managers and directors, we achieve success by leading a group of individuals to meet goals. A recent study by the Institute of Leadership and Management revealed that 82% of managers said that their teams knew exactly what was expected of them. However, employees were not so sure with only 58% knowing what they are supposed to do.
MBWA is a smart approach to making sure that these goals are being communicated and helps you lead a team by keeping your ear to the ground on developments and issues, as well as ideas. Identify individuals as Human Beings, not Human Resources and identify those who are living the values and making a difference and let them know it isn’t going unnoticed. At a time of intense competition and rapid change, it is vital to maintain close connections with your team to make change happen.
Most days in the office can be seen as simply routine by employees, but enjoyment has been sited as the single most effective motivator, with 59% rating it as one of the top 3 in the ILM study, it is more important than ever to ensure that you not only have a productive, driven workforce but also a happy one.
You may have been among the thousands that watched the recent BBC2 fly-on-the-wall documentary into Iceland. The series trained the lens on everyday life at the HQ, with singing, dancing and all sorts of high-jinks. Even though fun can be seen by some as an odd concept within the office environment, Iceland boast impressive staff retention figures and are regularly named among the best employers in the country so they must be doing something right.
Your people are your business – a happy work environment attracts good people and helps the people who work for you do the best for the company. And remember, company culture doesn’t just happen, it is something that is earned. Now, where’s that gorilla costume?
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Dec 2, 2013 | IT
Results from a recent report conducted by IT security firm TrendMicro reveals a shocking culture of carelessness among the UK population with regards to their attitude towards their work devices.
Out of the 2,500 UK Citizens that took part in the report, a shocking 52% reported losing a phone or other mobile device that contained sensitive work data with 27% having lost up to 3 work devices.
Compare those figures to only 11% of those surveyed losing their personal smartphone device and it indicates not only a careless attitude, but also a lack of awareness around the reputation and financial cost to businesses when sensitive data is stolen. In fact, 47% don’t worry much or at all about losing client or customer details and 55% don’t worry much or at all about losing intellectual property.
Over half were out drinking when their devices were lost or stolen and with Christmas around the corner and the festivities already underway, surely this is set to increase over the coming weeks.
26% of devices were lost or stolen on London Underground with 25% of those using Central and District lines.
And it doesn’t stop there!
- 25% of people have emailed sensitive work data to the wrong person
- 31% use WiFi hotspots regularly with 56% never or rarely checking security levels
- 57% didn’t even set up a password lock on their device
Should IT departments be concerned? Absolutely!
The report highlighted that 29% were not even sure what to do to protect their data if the device was lost or stolen and only 10% said that they would notify the IT department if this happened.
This careless culture is endemic to UK businesses, leaving them vulnerable to intrusion from cyber-criminals looking to acquire data for financial gain.
Education is required to help employees understanding the importance of protecting corporate data and also the protocol for notifying you should a breach occur.
Written by Lucy Rawes, Operations Director
Nov 10, 2013 | IT
The Last Great Recruitment Taboo
Social media: Should you look?
92% of recruiters look at potential employees’ social media profiles according to a survey by Jobvite.
It’s no surprise that so many employers are using social media to screen prospective employees. These days an online presence is practically expected and it’s not just for the youngsters – 79% of LinkedIn users are over 35. When you add Facebook, Twitter and Google+ into the equation with just a few clicks you can easily summon the good, the bad and the ugly of a candidate’s professional and personal lives, thanks to all the digital records they, their friends and their family leave behind in social media. But should you look? And if you do, what information can you actually use?
Look for the positives
A social media search should not be seen as a negative screening technique, in fact sometimes it’s better not to look at all until you have met the candidate face to face. But for an insight into their professional presence check out LinkedIn and look for positive attributes such as:
- A professional online presence
- Good spelling and grammar
- Consistency between their job history and their CV
- Insightful statuses and posts
- References to your industry
- Following relevant organisations
- Creativity
- Positivity
- Memberships of organisations
- Endorsements from other professionals
Beware the Negatives
Social media checks cannot be used as part of the hiring decision. When looking at social media the temptation can be to make snap judgements based on what you see. Social media is complex: being tagged without permission is common and inappropriate comments can be posted by others without representing the candidate’s point of view.
Statuses and photographs can also be taken out of context and cannot be taken as solid evidence. Judgements on what is appropriate will also certainly vary – interestingly, the majority of employers have a dimmer view of poor spelling and grammar than photographs of binge drinking. Most importantly, ensure you are looking at the correct profile.
However, there are warning signs. These ‘red alerts’ should be treated in the same way as if you had gleaned the information during interview. These include:
- Bigoted or racist remarks
- Overly sexual language
- Excessive profanity
- Threatening language
- Poor grammar and spelling
Taboo Areas
Just as in the interview, there is taboo information that you CANNOT use to discriminate for or against a candidate under any circumstances. These include:
- Age
- Marital status or sexual preference
- Children
- Political status
- Place of birth, ethnicity or religion
- Lifestyle choices
- Disability & illness
It’s our opinion that social media is an extremely valuable source of information – but one that should be used with caution. What do you think? We’d love you to join the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Ready to recruit?
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented pforessionals available. Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can find you the ideal candidate. To discuss your IT recruitment needs call us on 
0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com
Oct 7, 2013 | IT
Sickness absence has risen to 7.6 days per employee per year
Sick days cost UK businesses £29bn each year
The UK has the worst sickness absence rate in Europe
The average worker has faked sickness 4 times in their life
Employers are suspicious of over ½ of sickness claims
The cost of fraudulent sickness absence is too great to ignore. In addition to the financial strain these liars place on your business, those left covering the work of their unscrupulous team mates are put under strain, ironically, increasing the risk of genuine illness due to stress. However…
Presenteeism an Ever Present Danger
At the other extreme are the employees who always turn in no matter how ill they are. As well as spreading illness to the rest of the team, these martyrs remain unproductive far longer than those who simply take a day off to recover.
- Presenteeism costs UK businesses twice as much as absenteeism each year
- Employees coming in to work ill are far more likely to make a costly mistake
Weed Out the Liars
Spotting the liars while keeping the genuinely ill safe at home in their beds can be a nightmare. So is gathering the evidence needed for disciplinary action. Fortunately we have some tricks to help you.
Pattern Spot
Review a suspect’s absences over the last few months. Are there any patterns? Are Fridays or Mondays more prevalent showing a penchant for long weekends? Software is also available for businesses to spot trends in absenteeism behaviour that may be missed, such as time taken off during school holidays.
Are the reasons given for absence weak or repeated? Poor excuses are not as hard to spot as you might think. What’s the best one you’ve been given?
Social Media Secrets
Many fakers have been caught out by updates on Facebook or Twitter revealing they are at the beach or a theme park when they are supposed to be at home in bed. If you are suspicious it may be worth a look. After all, even if the perpetrator doesn’t post a status themselves, they could still be tagged by someone else.
Welcome Back Chat
Many companies utilise a ‘Back to Work Interview’ for those returning after a sickness absence. While checking those who have been genuinely ill are safe to recommence work, it also offers an opportunity to check ‘Fit Notes’ and delve a little deeper into any suspicious excuses.
Need to Cover Illness?
Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented people available, from Web Developers to IT Managers and everyone in-between. Many of these candidates are available for short term contract work with the flexibility to help cover medium to long term sickness absence.
Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can match you with the ideal candidate. To discuss your IT recruitment needs please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Sep 24, 2013 | IT
Security, trust and your business on the line
80% of employees are now utilising ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) in the workplace according to a survey by MobileIron. This means that even if you have the latest in security across your network, unless you have a BYOD policy in place, 50% of the devices used within your business are out of your control.
Even if you don’t officially allow personal devices to be used for work purposes, an individual’s preference for a certain device means that employees are likely to attempt to work around this. This leaves your business open to a plethora of threats.
Sweep Those Threats Aside
When implemented and monitored correctly, BYOD can:
- Reduce capital expenditure for hardware
- Reduce support costs
- Increase employee satisfaction
Follow our quick guide and take back control.
Issue: Security
Devices are unlikely to have the same antivirus and firewall protection as the computers in your office. This, coupled with the risk of loss or theft makes BYOD a volatile component of your business. If data is exposed to an unauthorised person, it is your company that will be fined, not the employee at fault. Are you leaving your business open to data-theft and hacking?
Solution: You should ensure that all devices are logged with you and that appropriate security software is installed on each one. Never allow a jail-broken or rooted device to access your network: ensure a ‘minimum device requirement’ is written into the BYOD policy. Check that your end-user is ‘tech-savvy’ enough to use the device safely: if not, provide training.
Ensure that all ‘apps’ used for business purposes are licenced and that all team members have a secure locking system on their phone. Are procedures in place should a device be lost or stolen? For instance, ‘apps’ are available that will delete data if the incorrect passcode is entered too many times or locate a lost or stolen device and remotely erase sensitive data.
Issue: Social Media Meltdown
It’s difficult to restrict access to social media on a team member’s personal device. After last week’s Silk Road revelations, you may also have concerns about employees utilising the ‘dark web’ for illegal purposes via their devices, putting your business and reputation on the line.
Solution: Put a Social Media Policy in place, outlining what is authorised on the device. Alternatively, set up a specific Wi-Fi network for devices to connect to that restricts access to certain websites during the hours of work. It is then possible to unblock certain websites for users who require access to perform their roles.
Issue: Mixing Business & Pleasure
Devices are likely to be used for both business and personal purposes. A device is likely to hold personal photos, emails, videos, text messages, emails and ‘apps’ which may be inappropriate or unlicensed, placing your company at risk. There is also the danger of emails being sent without appropriate legal disclaimers at the bottom.
Solution: Communication and education on the safe use of devices is crucial. Implement a BYOD policy stating exactly how business should be conducted on the device and make staff aware of particular issues surrounding the use of devices. Emphasise the need to keep company and personal data separate. Don’t forget to check that your HR and legal policies allow for the storage of personal and business data on the same hardware: they may need amending.
Issue: Trust
Just 30% of BYOD users trust their employer to keep their data private according to research by MobileIron. Mistrust mainly arises from confusion about what an employer can see on a device with the biggest worry being that employers are monitoring their text messages or photos.
Solution: Your BYOD policy should include details on exactly what the company has access to on each device. Unless an individual is conducting personal business via a company email account, you should not need to access their personal data. In fact you would need specific permission from the employee to do so, which can be revoked at any time.
The problem arises when a team member leaves your employment and you need to erase company data for security reasons. However, there are ‘apps’ available which allow you to isolate company data and erase it remotely without accessing personal files.
Who’s Paying?
Who is paying for call and data costs for these devices? Ensure there is a transparent and user-friendly policy in place for claiming back appropriate expenses.
Need someone new to take on the challenge?
Do you need a new team member, perhaps to take on new project such as implementing a BYOD policy? Here at Langley James, we know how to find the most vibrant and talented IT professionals available. Whatever your requirements, permanent or contract, and up to the highest level of seniority, we can find you the ideal candidate. To discuss your IT recruitment needs please call us on 0207 099 4839 or email us at langleyjames@langleyjames.com.
We’d love you to join in the conversation. Tweet us @ITRecruitment or follow us on Facebook.
Recent Comments