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Software Development

How to Retain Top Tech Talent in a Competitive Market

Clock 15 min read
Howdy Expert

By Oscar Mariani

VP of Engineering

Oscar Mariani, Howdy's Vice President of Engineering, has over a decade of software engineering and leadership experience. Oscar lived in the UK for over one decade, and speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese fluently. When he isn't captaining Howdy's engineering department, Oscar enjoys cooking and traveling. He is based in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he is a proud father of two.

Content

    The tech industry is constantly changing, but that’s no reason for your team to churn. You don’t just need to onboard the right people but keep them around. As VP of Engineering at Howdy, I am lucky to work with some of the most talented developers in LatAm, but maintaining a team is anything but luck. Here are a few of my best practices for retaining skilled specialists in the tech industry.

  1. Chart a Course for Growth

    2. When you onboard a new member to your team, are you thinking about where they will be in five years at your company? Career growth isn’t just about team members setting a path for themselves; it’s about companies providing adequate growth opportunities.

    The tech sector gets so many updates and overhauls every year that industry professionals have to learn new skills and systems to keep up with the new norm, which provides your company with an ongoing stream of opportunities to improve your team's competency, well-being, and expertise.

    Providing your team with industry-related skills training, webinars, and other educational opportunities will benefit both team members and the company in the long term.

  2. Trust Your Team

    3. The importance of mentors in talent retention is astronomical. At Howdy, we have a mentor program that has effectively taught people new skills and made them feel trusted because they know they are an active part of the company's future. The mentors are emotionally intelligent people with great leadership qualities, so they know how to communicate effectively and support their fellow team members.

    One-on-one professional interactions allow for a better understanding of individual work styles and help create a more harmonious working environment. Mentorship programs build trust within organizations, offering a space for team members to discuss aspirations, concerns, and potential issue resolution.

  3. Actively Reward and Provide Benefits

    4. Paying a competitive salary is necessary, but it’s also important to maintain an open dialogue about the average salary in the sector and how it may change over time. Retaining talent can involve many other benefits and perks. We always let the people on our team know that we appreciate how much they do by acknowledging and rewarding their contributions.

    It doesn’t matter if it’s a gift card, gym membership, or new hardware that will make life a little bit easier or help perform daily tasks more effectively — people appreciate recognition. Remind your team that a company isn’t a bunch of individuals working in a vacuum but a team of people banding together for a common goal.

    People want their hard work noticed, and one of your many duties as an employer is to let your team know how much you appreciate them. Providing ample growth opportunities, trusting your team, and giving credit where credit is due can make all the difference in keeping talented professionals around for the long haul.

The tech industry is constantly changing, but that’s no reason for your team to churn. You don’t just need to onboard the right people but keep them around. As VP of Engineering at Howdy, I am lucky to work with some of the most talented developers in LatAm, but maintaining a team is anything but luck. Here are a few of my best practices for retaining skilled specialists in the tech industry.

Chart a Course for Growth

Trust Your Team

The importance of mentors in talent retention is astronomical. At Howdy, we have a mentor program that has effectively taught people new skills and made them feel trusted because they know they are an active part of the company's future. The mentors are emotionally intelligent people with great leadership qualities, so they know how to communicate effectively and support their fellow team members.

One-on-one professional interactions allow for a better understanding of individual work styles and help create a more harmonious working environment. Mentorship programs build trust within organizations, offering a space for team members to discuss aspirations, concerns, and potential issue resolution.

Actively Reward and Provide Benefits

Paying a competitive salary is necessary, but it’s also important to maintain an open dialogue about the average salary in the sector and how it may change over time. Retaining talent can involve many other benefits and perks. We always let the people on our team know that we appreciate how much they do by acknowledging and rewarding their contributions.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a gift card, gym membership, or new hardware that will make life a little bit easier or help perform daily tasks more effectively — people appreciate recognition. Remind your team that a company isn’t a bunch of individuals working in a vacuum but a team of people banding together for a common goal.

People want their hard work noticed, and one of your many duties as an employer is to let your team know how much you appreciate them. Providing ample growth opportunities, trusting your team, and giving credit where credit is due can make all the difference in keeping talented professionals around for the long haul.

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