1. Chapter 9 Human Resource Considerations
Managing the Information Technology Resource
Jerry N. Luftman
© 2004 Managing the Information Technology Resource, Jerry N. Luftman Chapter 9 - Slide 1

2. Chapter Outline Market for IT professionals
What IT professionals seek in a position
Characteristics of IT environment contributing to HR complexity
Future for IT professionals
Skills required for successful IT future
Retention of IT talent
Stress in the workplace
IT career development
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3. National Average of IT Salaries
Senior Systems Programmer
$68,900
Web Application Developer
$61,700
Network Administrator
$60,000
Programmer/Analyst
$55,100
Help Desk Operator
$39,700
CIO/VP of IT
$165,100
Director of IT/IS/MIS
$108,200
Project Manager
$88,200
Database Manager
$84,800
Senior Systems Analyst
$72,300
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4. What IT Professionals Are Looking For
Career advancement
Salary requirements
Empowerment to affect company success
Ability to telecommute
Discuss career goals with management
Reasonable workload
Company-sponsored training and seminars
Less stress
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5. © 2004 Managing the Information Technology Resource, Jerry N. Luftman
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6. Top IT Jobs in Percentage of Growth
Computer Engineer
108%
Computer Support Specialist
102%
System Analyst
94%
Database Administrator
77%
Desktop Publishing Specialist
73%
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7. Skills for Future in IT Business analyst Change management
Communication
Finance
Project management
Leadership
Managing value
Marketing
Mentoring/career development
Stakeholder management
Team building
Training
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8. General Technology Skills Needed
Application software
Databases
Hardware infrastructure/architecture
Knowledge of general IT management issues
Networks and networking architecture
Systems development and programming
Integration within and across all architectures
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9. Industry and Firm-Type Knowledge
Industry Knowledge
Best practices
Industry issues
Industry-specific solutions
Firm-Type-Specific Knowledge
Business processes
Generalized business strategies
Influencing decision making
Marketing
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10. Necessary Managerial Skills
Ability to communicate across business disciplines
Ability to employ consulting skills
Ability to influence decision making
Information about business process
Understanding organizational philosophy
Understanding the strategic goals and objectives
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11. Becoming a First-Line Manager
Become responsible for output of other people
Act as leader
Stay informed on technical issues
Acquire new and unfamiliar administrative duties
Deal with employees and their problems
Face new situations that have unclear action requiring judgment
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12. Problems of Retention of IT Talent
Difficult to know how to plan to use human resources
Disruptive to organization and negative impact on morale when talented workers leave
Real costs of losing skilled employees and replacing them
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13. Recruiting IT Talent
Source: Lee Hecht Harrison, Inc.,
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14. Gartner’s Successful Retention Guidelines
Compensation
Pay within 10% of market rates
Integrate HR and IT functions
Allow IT function managers greater flexibility
Build defensive intelligence sources and survey often
Set aside money for training that vests over time
Offer time- and performance-based bonuses that pay out over 3-5 year period
Stock options
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15. Gartner’s Successful Retention Guidelines
Benefits
Health, dental, and vision
Financial benefits include
401-K
Pension plan
Employee stock purchase plans
Tuition/education reimbursement
Lifestyle benefits
Casual dress
Telecommuting
Flexible hours
Sabbaticals
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16. Gartner’s Successful Retention Guidelines
Training
Invest at least 10% in training and upgrading skills
Work Environment
Provide chance to work with new technologies
Make work environment fun
Recognition programs
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17. Gartner’s Successful Retention Guidelines
Eliminate Burnout Through Staffing/Time Off
Staff to meet objectives, negotiate service levels, increase after-hours premium support
Offer time-off to employees who put in long hours
Poll Employees
Employee satisfaction data once a year
360° review process
Implement skip-level lunches to gain better insight
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18. Gartner’s Successful Retention Guidelines
Hire Appropriate Profile
Beware of “go-getters”
Understand person’s cultural fit within organization
Open Career Paths
NO artificial boundaries on career ladders
Allow people to build process management skills
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19. © 2004 Managing the Information Technology Resource, Jerry N. Luftman
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20. Source: Personnel Decisions Inc. , Minneapolis, MN, http://www
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21. Motivation Factors for IT Staff
Allow people to learn new technologies
Give people necessary resources
Be competitive in terms of salary and benefits
Provide for worker’s personal development
Provide strong leadership during rapid change
Make certain people perceive that work is meaningful
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22. Common Sources of Stress
Pace of technology change
Commuting
Work-life balance
Office politics
Increasing workloads
Other
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23. © 2004 Managing the Information Technology Resource, Jerry N. Luftman
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24. Stress-Reduction Techniques
Bring in outside contractors to reduce workloads
Improve communications and encourage team building
Involve employees in decisions about managing workloads
Plan and promote outside activities to break monotony
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25. IT Management Can Reduce IT Staff Stress
Keep staff updated on project status
Let people know what is expected
Set priorities
Manage deadlines
Make sure staff takes breaks regularly
Make sure staff knows updates on latest developments
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26. IT Management Can Reduce IT Staff Stress
Arrange for massages/exercise
Arrange for well-balanced food
Encourage work with “stress buddies”
Keep stress diary
Encourage time off if highly stressed
Encourage staff to ask for help
Provide ergonomic work environment
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27. Career Development Personal career development
Increased quality of work
Improved capacity to solve problems
Better team performance
Improved capacity to cope with change in workplace
Higher success rate in promoting employees
Increased output of products and services
Increased employee retention
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28. Ethical Conduct and Data Management
Provide training in ethical conduct
Employees understand rules of ethical behavior and actions
Enforce ethical conduct on management of firm
Bring visibility to all information
Formal and on-the-job
Can cover broad range of topics
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29. Six Commandments of Ethical Management
Data is valuable corporate asset.
CIO is steward of corporate data and responsible for managing it over its life cycle.
CIO is responsible for controlling access to and use of data.
CIO is responsible for preventing inappropriate destruction of data.
CIO is responsible for brining technological knowledge to development.
CIO should partner with executive peers to develop and execute data management policies.
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30. © 2004 Managing the Information Technology Resource, Jerry N. Luftman
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