“War for Talent”: This is why your
IT System becomes an
Employer Branding Tool

IT as an Integral Part of our Everyday Lives

It has become so commonplace that we no longer even think about it: we all rely on good IT tools in our everyday lives and in some cases we even depend on them. Just think of your smartphone, which now performs so many tasks for you. It wakes you up on time in the morning, reminds you of your appointments at the dentist and hairdresser, helps you find your way around completely unfamiliar cities and allows you to place cashless orders with pizza delivery companies.

Smart home functions are also becoming increasingly popular. For example, your heating can incorporate data from the weather forecast and will automatically not run at maximum level on warmer days. And the smart, round “household helper” that keeps your home clean during the week will surely also come to your mind. 😊

For 80%, IT is crucial for Job Satisfaction

The increasing importance of IT not only has a huge impact on private life, but also on the professional environment. A recent study confirms this: office workers place a lot of importance on well-implemented IT systems. Around 80 percent of respondents say that the information technology in their workplace is a decisive reason for whether they can perform optimally. Poor solutions as well as poor implementations are thus increasingly decisive for applicants not even accepting a new job offer. And established employees are even leaving their current employer because of “IT frustration” or restrictive options - even if they are otherwise satisfied! At the end of the day, your outdated systems are costing you a fortune.

The outdated ERP System as a Risk Factor What you can learn from
the South­west Airlines
Software Disaster

From Millennials to Generation X: Differences between Age Groups

The quality of IT can really make or break an employment relationship. The “2021 State of Work” study by Workfront makes it clear that there are differences between the generations: around 37 percent of all millenials, for example, factor the state of IT systems into their decision to look for a job despite job security.

The term Millenials refers to the youngest generation of employees. You may also know them as Generation Y. This includes all those professionals who were born in the early 80s to late 90s and are now between 20 and 40 years old.

In contrast, only 26 percent of Generation X make their job change dependent on the IT system at work. Generation X comprises all those born between 1965 and 1979, meaning that the youngest of them are currently in their early forties and the oldest are in their fifties.

Differences in International Comparison

However, there are not only differences between generations, but also between individual countries. In half of the cases, British and American employees state that they would leave their employer if the information systems restricted them. In contrast, only just over a quarter of German employees say the same. However, as the digital transformation is also rapidly increasing in Germany, you can assume that this figure will rise significantly in the near future. And with it, of course, the need to adapt your system once again.

Good IT is also good for Productivity

It will come as no surprise to you that knowledge workers in particular rate good IT systems as important. This group includes doctors, pharmacists, architects, engineers, scientists, accountants, lawyers - as well as programmers. Around 80 percent of them state that IT helps them to work more productively. Also interesting: only committed management is rated as (even) more valuable in terms of productivity.

Teamwork, Management and Organization: this is where your Employees are particularly dependent on IT

IT is also seen as an important factor for efficient internal teamwork. Around 60 percent of those surveyed even state that they are dependent on IT for this. Especially when it comes to collaboration and management, communication and planning and organization of processes and tasks. This is certainly an important aspect, as 80 percent of those surveyed consider good teamwork to be essential when it comes to retaining their employer.

In the “War for Talent”: optimize your IT Solutions, Processes and Internal Workflows

Demographic change is causing your teams to get older and older on average. In addition, there is a shortage of specialists, which is why it is extremely important for many companies to attract young and talented employees.

We have shown that the employer’s IT is becoming increasingly important, especially for the young Generation Y, which means that all roads lead to digitalization in terms of employer branding. As an employer, you must not resist this change, but embrace it and use it to your advantage. Companies that do not embrace digital change or develop a digitalization strategy too late will be left behind by the competition.

Smart IT tools are far more than a “nice to have” in everyday life, they are a competitive factor for companies: so make sure that your IT solutions, your business processes and internal collaboration are attractive to your target applicant group. If you succeed in doing this, you will have a decisive advantage in the constant war for talent!