International giants are moving to Scotland in a bid to capture the country’s top talent but while it’s boosting the books, SMEs are struggling to attract existing technology professionals who are interested in working for techy start-ups, corporate giants and not much in-between.
Barclays recently announced plans to create up to 2,500 jobs at its new Glasgow Tech Hub and it’s just one of hundreds of companies moving into Scotland with a core focus on technology and recruiting local talent.
Temporary staff billings and the number of permanent staff appointments may have risen during December 2018 but with marked growth in staff demand, SMEs are being left with a shrinking talent pool, withering away by the day. The question remains, how do SMEs compete?
We asked technology professionals what attracts them to a company in a bid to help my network hold onto the top technology talent and perhaps surprisingly, salary isn’t everything.
73% of technology professionals in Scotland said the work life balance was most important followed by training opportunities, being involved in decision-making, access to leadership and; if necessary, the types of clients they work with.
Ironically, three-quarters of people said they preferred working with an SME client than a corporate or start-up.
My advice to my SME network in Scotland is to not feel overpowered by the conglomerates moving into Scotland as technology professionals care less about salary and more about enjoying their work, having room for self-development and being involved in decision-making processes - which arguably, is more of a plausible reality within a smaller company.
I’d like to hear from anyone working within the technology space. Are you worried about competing with the corporates?
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