Blue Mountain Data Systems Inc. provides 16 suggestions for retaining valuable technical staff. These include offering competitive salaries and benefits, clear communication, flexibility, opportunities for growth, and investing in continuing education. The document outlines specific strategies Blue Mountain uses, such as annual parties, flexible work schedules, pairing employees based on skills, and budgeting for training. The goal is to foster trust, engagement, and a collaborative work environment to reduce turnover.

1. 16 Ways to Retain Technical Staff

2. Question
Do you know the real
reasons why good
technical people
quit?

3. Answer

4. Other Reasons
Good employees quit because they feel
undervalued, underwhelmed, underpaid, or
overworked.
(SOURCE: Wasp Buzz).

5. It’s Costing You Time and Money
As a result, employee turnover is costing your
organization more time and money than you think.
Believing that technical employees are “replaceable”
may appear to be satisfactory to some firms. In the
long term, however, you may sacrifice more than
money; customer satisfaction, business knowledge,
and team morale.

6. Question
What does
Blue Mountain Data Systems Inc.
do to keep
valuable technical staff?

7. Management Ideas
16 Ways
to Retain
Technical Staff

8. #1
The decision to bring on new staff
is a two-way street—your
organization seeks their expertise,
and they seek a company where
they can grow and hone their
technical skills. Providing this
arrangement from the start can
foster a great relationship between
your organization and its staff.

9. Suggestion #2
Negotiating above average, industry
compensation at the onset of the hiring
process expresses your organization’s
intent to invest in the talent that the
prospective team member brings to the
table.
An organization’s inability to provide a
competitive salary (23%) is the second
most reason that positions are not filled in
a timely manner, preceded only by the
lack of qualified applicants
(60%). SOURCE: PayScale

10. Suggestion #3
0
A comprehensive package of benefits removes the candidate’s
obligation to find coverage on his/her own. At Blue Mountain we
provide:
- A very rich health benefits plan, 50% employer paid
- Company paid dental, STD, LTD, Life and Vision
- Section 125 Premium Only Plan, which enables pre-tax
employee contributions
- Section 125 Flexible spending arrangement for pre-tax out of
pocket medical costs
- Annual Christmas parties at the owner’s house, catered by a
professional chef and staff. We also have Christmas gift checks as
well as drawings for gifts that have ranged from $50 to over
$11,000.
- Spot bonuses for a job well done
- Social chats on the phone—we become involved in employee’s
lives and mentor them when asked
- Lunches and dinners
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Flexibility with working hours, leave and carryover leave

11. Suggestion #4
Do what you say that you are going
to do. As the head of an
organization, you must be
comfortable within yourself before
you can convey your thoughts
calmly, yet decisively to others.
Consistency in this regard is key to
building a strong foundation of
trust.

12. Suggestion #5
Valuable employees quit because they have
problems with management. As a small
organization, Blue Mountain provides an
organizational chain of command where
everyone reports to the owner as the line
manager. Staff then report to a project
manager who is responsible for customer
deliverables. This gives each team member
direct communication with the person that
pays their salary, while also remaining
responsible to project managers for their
work product. This structure works for small
organizations, but the strategy can be
revisited as companies grow.

13. Suggestion #6
Understanding the strengths and
weaknesses of your staff members
is the key to forming cohesive
groups within your organization.
Pairing people who compliment
each other’s skillsets strikes a
balance that is sure to last. Create
tasking where individuals will
constantly achieve success. Do not
create situations that set up
individuals for potential failure.

14. Suggestion #7
Conveying clear-cut tasks,
goals, and objectives promotes
a seamless exchange of
information and ideas between
management and staff. This will
alleviate misunderstandings,
frustrations, and stress, thereby
saving time and increasing
productivity.

15. Suggestion #8
Fostering direct communication
permits team members to share ideas
freely, and lets them know that
management is listening to them.
Providing a structure that offers staff
the autonomy to select their own
solutions to solve problems also
conveys trust that the job will get done.
Personal involvement and investment
in a project promotes ownership, which
helps to achieve success..

16. Suggestion #9
Receiving accurate, quality work
from your staff is better achieved
when staff does not have to adhere
to the demands of (1) being at work
at a specific time, (2) worrying about
making too many personal phone
calls or searching the internet, and
(3) conforming to a certain dress
code.

17. Suggestion #10
We all have commitments and
obligations outside of our work
duties to which we must attend.
Allowing flexible schedules, e.g.,
telecommuting, comp time, etc.
where applicable, alleviates stress
and will allow staff to concentrate
on the matter at hand when
executing job duties.

18. Suggestion #11
Technical staff members possess
individual skillsets that they bring
to your organization. Offering a
variety of tasks and responsibilities
helps to keep staff engaged and
motivated.

19. Suggestion #12
Management should meet with
staff regularly to set
expectations and deadlines, as
well as to listen to progress
briefings and problem alerts.
This will allow team members to
work independently with little
interruption, and further
conveys trust. Open lines of
communication avoids surprises
with deliverables and timelines.

20. Suggestion #13
Permit developers to select
their own solutions when
solving problems. Sometimes
this means enlisting the help
of other team members to
collaborate on projects. This
will solidify the team and
generate ideas that may not
otherwise have surfaced.

21. Suggestion #14
All parties involved on projects
should interact freely so that all
are kept in the loop.
Communication between staff
and customers, pairs names
with faces, creating an
integrated team that takes
ownership of the problem,
boosts cohesiveness, and
focuses on doing a great job for
the customer..

22. Suggestion #15
Always be honest regarding
customer feedback and in
conveying company/management
information. Provide constructive
criticism when needed, but also
remember to reward a job well
done (e.g. praise and spot
bonuses). Operating with
integrity promotes the same from
your team members.

23. Suggestion #16
Keeping up with technology is
a must if your organization
wants to retain as many
technical staff members as
possible. Allocate funds in your
budgets for certifications,
refresher courses, and new
subjects, as applicable. Tuition
assistance also entices
professional staff to stay with
your organization.

24. ABOUT US
Blue Mountain Data Systems Inc.
Blue Mountain Data Systems Inc. is dedicated to application
and systems development, document management and the
automation of workflow processes.
Read more about our experience here:
>> http://bluemt.com/experience

25. MANAGEMENT
Paul T. Vesely
Founder, President, CEO and Principal Architect
Mr. Vesely is a recognized thought leader in systems
architecture and delivery, having designed and
delivered many enterprise wide information and
document management solutions. Mr. Vesely’s history
includes 33 years experience in the information
systems industry, with Unisys, Grumman, PRC and a
host of clients in both government and private sectors.

26. CONTACT US
Contact Us Today to Discuss Your Next IT Project
HEADQUARTERS
366 Victory Drive
Herndon, VA 20170
PHONE 703-502-3416
FAX 703-745-9110
EMAIL
paul@bluemt.com
WEB
http://bluemt.com