Training and diversity are the keys to a healthier profession

Skyte: The best managers realise that they cannot turn off skills investment like a tap

IT leaders who cut staff and mothball training programmes to make quick savings could cripple their own departments and the economy as a whole, say union leaders.

Research carried out by Forrester found that 61 per cent of companies in Europe and North America plan to reduce IT headcount in 2009.

But as organisations seek to manage current workloads with fewer resources, overall business performance tends to deteriorate. And the situation is worsened by poor communication from managers on what is required during difficult times.

Poor competency modelling and lack of people management skills in IT, especially in the middle-management layer, is a problem in most businesses, said Peter Skyte, national officer at trade union Unite.

“Good leaders know their workforce and challenge something that isn’t workable. I have seen managers who told their employer that job cuts would be damaging to the business but often they end up being made redundant themselves,” Skyte told Computing.

“It is always possible to run technology cheaper ­ – and that often starts by eliminating jobs ­ – but the key question is whether doing it cheaply has an impact on quality,” he said.

“UK leaders have made the wrong decisions and reduced headcount because it is the cheap and easy option, but are now suffering with reduced productivity as a result. That is when good leadership comes into play – you should be able to plan ahead and know how to redeploy and make the best use of your people.”

Cancelling training during recession is part of the herd mentality inherent in IT departments, said Skyte. But there are rewards to be gained by those willing to take risks and think of creative ways to develop staff even when times are tough.

“The best managers recognise that they cannot just turn off skills investment like a tap, as the expertise pipeline will eventually dry up,” Skyte said. “Companies should continue to invest in IT skills and development, not just for the task in hand, but also for the longer term. And if we destroy entry-level jobs, which constitute the pathway to management, we shouldn’t be surprised when people no longer find IT very appealing as a career,” he added.

The under-representation of women in the technology profession is another concern, said Skyte, who pointed out that there is still a significant pay gap between male and female IT professionals. The difference in pay ranges from 14 per cent for women under the age of 29 to 30 per cent for those aged between 40 and 49, according to sector skills council e-Skills UK.

In the private sector, women represent just 18 per cent of the IT workforce. The gender mix is a little more balanced in the public sector however, according to e-Skills, with women accounting for 31 per cent of IT roles.

“The reason why more women are employed in public sector IT is probably not due to pay, but more likely because they are better treated and that returning mothers can get more flexibility in terms of working hours through family-friendly policies,” said Skyte.

Racial inequality and a tendency to overlook those with disabilities are also pressing issues within technology departments across the UK: 88 per cent of the IT and telecoms workforce is made up of white people and only 11 per cent have a disability.

“You can’t always fish in the same pool – ­ the business leadership has to maximise the opportunities for IT, by providing a more diverse and inclusive environment,” said Skyte.

“CIOs should do more for that to happen, but it depends on whether they have a vision of a strong, vibrant IT sector that is attractive to future generations, since technology underpins everything we do,” he said

“If we don’t nurture the capability and skills in technology for the future, we are simply undermining and sabotaging the UK economy.”

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