Communications of the ACM
Why Digital Talent Doesn't Want to Work At Your Company
Credit: Fast Company
The opportunity to do great things, to make a real difference, is what drives most digital talent — whether they're programmers, developers or designers. At the end of the day, top digital talent prioritizes the right types of opportunities over salary, geography or special workplace perks. Most companies, however, don't offer the chance to change the world, so top talent decides to work somewhere that's innovative and exciting. The good news is that you can offer them something exciting: the promise of changing a giant, behind-the-times organization into an Internet-savvy business. Job candidates and new hires with digital skills must truly believe in the company's dedication to digital transformation and they must see that they are empowered to make this change.
Digital talent won't want to work at your company if every element of their work will be pored over by multiple layers of bureaucracy. In a technology environment, new products and businesses spring up daily and a new endeavor can go from conception to launch in a matter of months. Reining in the momentum will be read as inaction and a clear signal the company isn't willing to grasp the new way of the world. Also, accepting a culture of mediocrity will discourage digital talent. They want to be expected to do something great. They want to be pushed. They care about their work. Employees need the freedom to try out new ideas, so that they can take initiative, make decisions, and learn from their mistakes. It also demonstrates that the company has an attractive and inspiring entrepreneurial spirit.
Digital talent — often in their 20s and 30s — need to see a clear path for uninhibited career development that's based on merit, not years spent, and that's beyond the confines of the digital department. If they don't, they won't see a reason to stay with the company in the long term. A traditional office layout, designed to communicate power among certain individuals and barriers between departments, does not support the collaborative ethos that is intrinsic to the web. Companies should do everything possible to provide the digital team open office space, preferably in a hip, young neighborhood. Without visible support from the highest level, politics in the organization or simply one influential disbeliever can hinder the effort, limit the extent of digital integration possible, and discourage valuable employees.
From Fast Company
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