Dariel Solutions quoted in a Computing SA feature: People - the true wealth of a company

Written by Greg Vercellotti, Executive Director of Dariel Solutions

Finding, growing and retaining the right people has become increasingly difficult due to the accelerating pace of globalization as well as the impending shortage of skills. As such, human resources, corporate training and development are becoming an increasingly complex process, yet for any organization today they an ever more important process, as the true wealth of a company lies in its people.

Only with the right people can a company develop a common goal and have the motivation and skill to become a 'built-to-last' company. 'Built-to-last' companies are those that focus on growth and long-term success. While numerous organisations focus on short-term decisions that yield advantages today, many are detrimental to the company in the long-term.

'Built-to-last' companies execute a long-term strategy which may not result in immediate advantages, but rather in the long-term sustainability, achievement and success, making it the strongest differentiator in its ability to meet the company's commitment to its clients.

Today, the IT industry is divided into two, those companies looking for skills, and those that are growing them. Many companies are poaching skilled employees by enticing them with larger salaries and incentives. This, however, does not solve the overall skills shortage, but in fact makes it worse, by creating unrealistic salary expectations and demands.

On the other hand, some companies are actively involved in skilling workers through learnerships, mentorships, and internal training and development facilities, especially at the grass root level. By developing skills at this level, the correct growth of IT skills can be achieved and maintained, as it provides a holistic computer experience that takes the children beyond the barriers of the classroom wall and gives them a foothold on the digital ladder.

Not only do these initiatives ensure that school learners have the opportunity of working with these IT tools at an early age, but also develop important basic IT skills needed for future opportunities. Additionally, the IT recruitment and training industry needs to start focusing on skilling post-graduates, as there are not enough students entering the science discipline, and even fewer who go in to an honours programme.

The lack of such candidates undermines the ability to build IT systems and solutions strategically. While a company can have many 'brick-layers' and have the capacity to deliver, with the engineers or designers there are no senior skills to drive the process.

As the sourcing and retention of top-level employees and managers becomes extremely difficult, organizations are being force to consider different approaches to acquiring and keeping the most creative and dynamic people. Many turn to recruitment agencies focusing on specific areas for a solution to the skills problem, but the solution itself lies in seeing the potential in people, challenging them and mentoring them, so that not only do they grow and become excellent in themselves, but excellent in their skills for the industry too.

www.computingsa.co.za