Six strategies for attracting tech talent
WHAT DEFINES A GOOD LEADER? LOOK FOR THESE SIX QUALITIES
Modern business challenges can require new approaches. Leadership will need to evolve in order to continue to guide organisations in tomorrow's world of work. But what are the characteristics of a good modern leader in the workplace - and how can organisations develop them?
Many studies draw parallels between effective leadership and solid organisational performance. But whether they’re a junior manager or a senior executive, the qualities that leaders need are changing.
Nearly 1,500 HR professionals ranked leadership development as the number one priority for 2025, with managers feeling 'overwhelemed' by the expansion of their responsibilities. In today’s unpredictable world, you must combine traditional leadership skills with new abilities. So, what does an effective modern leader look like?
1. Remember what makes a good leader
Before looking at the new skills future leaders may need, it is worth reflecting on what a leader actually is.
What are the qualities of a good leader? It’s not what you may think.
Being in charge of colleagues does not necessarily make you a ‘leader’. Former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg explains: “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”
Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield believes that good leadership is: “Not about glorious crowning acts. It’s about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it. Especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter.”
There may be varying opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of leaders. But overall, most people believe that great leaders motivate their team members to perform their best and achieve common goals.
What traits do you need to achieve this in the modern workplace?
2. Use blended leadership styles for a VUCA world
Stacey Philpot from Deloitte Consulting maintains that the core skills needed historically in leadership roles have remained unchanged.
“These skills allow someone to become a leader faster than their peers. This is even true in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment,” she says.
The core skills for leading in a VUCA environment include:
- Pattern recognition
- Motivation
- Agility
- Emotional intelligence
- Ability to understand, control and express emotions
This represents psychological assessments of 23,000 senior leaders globally over the past 25 years.
Consider introducing servant leadership:
Leaders need new styles of leadership to deal with changing cultures. Being comfortable with not having the answer and owning failure can create an environment of trust and openness.
Collectively, these behaviours form ‘servant leadership’. The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) defines servant leadership as emphasising behaviours and values such as:
- Active listening
- Empathy
- Leading by example
These are instead of opting for a more authoritative, ‘command-and-control’ leadership style. Leaders create the conditions for team members to excel by displaying vulnerability. But given the stigma around servant leadership, how can organisations encourage it?
How to combat stigma surrounding servant leadership:
Alsu Polyakova, HR Leader for GE Healthcare, says reducing stigma around servant leadership will take a specific strategy. Most importantly frequent performance appraisals for leaders.
“We give leaders lots of opportunities for self-reflection, so they understand how they behave,” she says. GE Healthcare’s most successful leaders help to encourage behavioural change, Polyakova says. The company measures success by how well employees rate leaders on achieving GE Healthcare’s ‘cultural pillars’. These pillars include inspiring trust and empowering employees.
3. Create a culture of trust in the workplace
Gaining workers’ trust is more important than ever. One way to build trust is for leaders to take action on issues such as climate change. 71 percent of employees consider their CEOs’ social awareness as critically important, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer.
Social awareness may yield rich rewards. The Edelman poll shows that workers who trust their employers are far more engaged and remain more loyal than their more sceptical peers.
Leadership styles are clearly changing. The most effective leaders will need to tailor their styles to suit different scenarios, says Professor Sattar Bawany. “Leaders need a broad repertoire of management styles and the wisdom to know when each style should be used,” he says. “In crisis scenarios like cybersecurity breaches, for example, leadership should be authoritarian because the scenario is unstructured.”
4. Adapt your leadership style for different generations
Managers must also balance leadership styles to suit different generations. Modern workplaces will soon house up to five generations under one roof. Therefore, there will be many people with differing preferences on leadership style.
As of 2023, millennials are the biggest group in the UK workforce, at 35 percent. Modern leaders must mix old and new leadership styles that meet the needs of younger generations. Doing so will future proof organisations. However, new leadership approaches cannot come at the expense of alienating older workers.
5. Commit to lifelong learning
With the workplace evolving so rapidly, leaders cannot rely on past experience alone to get by. Ben Farmer, Head of HR at Amazon UK agrees: “Experience is not always synonymous with wisdom and judgement. And naivety doesn’t always engender novel thinking and openness to change.”
Organisations should look for leaders who understand the future as well as those with experience. “Success comes from the ability to combine understanding of exciting, new trends with the experience required to put that knowledge into action,” says Farmer.
But what is the right balance? There is no one-size-fits-all approach when balancing experience with adaptability. Achieving the right balance will mostly depend on the organisation and the sector it operates in.
6. Be conscious of culture
Organisational culture is an important factor. Risk-averse firms may prefer experience over novel thinking. Leaders may be fearful of a backlash from stakeholders should novel thinking fail. To lower risk, companies should seek leaders who use both scientific evidence and intuition when making decisions.
Ultimately, there’s no single blueprint for an effective modern leader. Each organisation must tailor their approach to leadership development. There must be a focus on organisational culture, industry nuances and employee mix.
But above all, leaders should recognise that today’s reality may be old news tomorrow.
For more expert advice, take a look at the following articles:
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SIX STRATEGIES FOR ATTRACTING TECH TALENT
If you are searching for talent in the tech industry, you know the struggle of attracting top candidates to your organisation. Companies are constantly in competition with each other for high-performing talent to drive innovation and growth.
James Milligan and Amanda Whicher discussed the challenges of shaping a tech talent strategy during our webinar on key trends in the IT sector. As part of that discussion, both noted a shift in recent trends.
While tech giants have historically been the go-to destinations for aspiring tech professionals, this is changing. Candidates are now placing a higher value on job security, opportunities for career development and meaningful work. As a result, tech professionals are finding many of the traditionally ‘non-native’ organisations (including public services) more appealing than ever before.
To remain competitive, companies should look to create a compelling value proposition that resonates with tech talent. Inspired by the insights from James and Amanda, we've collated six strategies to help you attract tech professionals and their skill sets.
1. Prioritise job security and stability
Given the continued economic uncertainty, job security should be high on the list when considering how to attract tech talent. Frequent hire-and-fire cycles at some large tech sector firms have made job stability a top concern.
To attract tech professionals, look to highlight your company's stability and commitment to long-term employment. Also, highlight your track record of consistent growth and your proactive measures to ensure stability and growth.
Quick tips for your tech talent strategy:
- Highlight your organisation's financial health and stability in job listings and interviews.
- Use testimonials from long-term employees to build trust and credibility.
- Show clear career paths that demonstrate long-term opportunities within the company.
2. Offer development opportunities
Most people are looking for evidence of continuous learning and development when it comes to their careers. The same is true in the technology sector. Tech professionals seek employers who invest in their growth, providing avenues for skill and experience advancement.
By offering development programmes, you can attract tech talent eager to expand their expertise and advance their careers.
Quick development tips for your tech talent strategy:
- Use training and development programmes to increase technical skills, including online courses, workshops or certifications.
- Integrate mentorship programmes to guide employees on their career paths.
- Encourage attendance at industry conferences and participation in professional networks.
3. Highlight innovative projects
Tech talent is driven by the opportunity to work on exciting projects that challenge their skills and creativity.
To attract these professionals, highlight the exciting and innovative nature of the work your company does. Showcase any digital transformations and groundbreaking projects and the impact they’ve had on your organisation.
Quick innovation tips for your tech talent strategy:
- Create detailed project descriptions in job postings, emphasising the innovative aspects and potential impact the candidate(s) could have.
- Use case studies and success stories to demonstrate the exciting projects your team has worked on.
- Create a culture of innovation by encouraging employees to propose and lead new initiatives.
4. Promote a purpose-driven culture
Remember that during the recruiting process, tech professionals seek organisations that make a positive impact on the world. Promoting a purpose-driven culture can make all the difference in your value proposition. This approach attracts candidates who are passionate about contributing to a greater cause.
Quick culture tips for your tech talent strategy:
- Clearly define and communicate your company's mission and values.
- Highlight any corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and their outcomes.
- Encourage employee involvement in charity and volunteer programmes.
5. Provide competitive compensation and benefits
While job security and purpose are crucial, competitive compensation and benefits remain key factors in talent acquisition.
Your renumeration offering should be in line with industry standards. Offering comprehensive benefits that address the needs of modern professionals is also highly attractive – consider what you can offer beyond a paycheck to attract modern talent, such as more holistic health benefits.
Quick competitive tips for your tech talent strategy:
- Conduct regular market research to keep your compensation packages competitive.
- Offer flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options and flexible hours.
- Provide a comprehensive benefits package. This may include health insurance, retirement plans and wellness programmes.
6. Create a positive work environment
A positive work environment can make all the difference in attracting and retaining tech professionals. Creating such an environment includes fostering a culture of diversity, equality, and inclusion, as well as providing a supportive physical and virtual workspace.
Quick work environment tips for your tech talent strategy:
- Promote a culture that values and listens to all voices through collaboration and inclusivity.
- Invest in office spaces and remote work technologies that boost productivity and comfort.
- Implement policies that support work-life balance, such as competitive leave policies and mental health support.
Attracting tech talent requires a mixed approach, addressing the desire for stability, growth, exciting work, purpose, competitive compensation, and a positive work environment.
By focusing on these six strategies, you can begin to shape an enticing value proposition. These strategies will allow you to boost your employer brand and stand out in the competitive tech landscape.