The best bet is to keep people engaged with a sense of purpose and a strong value proposition — and to realise that CIOs can hire those who leave other employers. Credit: Getty Images The IT talent shortage is a key concern for many New Zealand businesses, and retaining current staff looks to become even more of a headache for New Zealand CIOs in 2022. That survey found that Australia and New Zealand IT staff had the least intention to remain with their current employers than their counterparts in most regions of the world. In a conversation with CIO New Zealand, Datacom CIO and CISO Karl Wright was philosophical about the findings of the survey. “However thin the coin, there remains two sides: those looking to leave are also seeking to join. This means businesses have an opportunity to put their best foot forward with an outstanding employee value proposition that will both retain current and attract the new.” Wright said that, when it comes to retaining staff, Datacom is focused on giving its people learning and development opportunities, “whether that be growing and evolving in their current role or extending their expertise by taking on a completely different role within our business.” He also highlighted that the company strives to create an inclusive environment “where every individual feels valued, where work life balance is celebrated and where people feel like they are part of something bigger than just a nine-to-five job.” At Qrious, Spark’s data analytics and AI business, Stephen Ponsford, the company’s CTO turned CEO, also recognises that the company needs to keep its people engaged and valued. He said a big part of that was connecting their people with the impact they bring to organisations like the Department of Conservation. Data scientists from Qrious worked with DoC on a ground-breaking machine-learning AI solution to help identify kiwi in the wild. “It’s great when our staff can connect with the value our customers are getting,” Ponsford said. “We’ve really focused on being a purpose- and values-driven organisation. … We look at our purpose around transforming New Zealand, how can we make New Zealand get ahead. … It’s one of those great goals that as an organisation we can all rally around: How can data-driven innovation help support New Zealand not only get back on its feet but thrive in a post-COVID world.” Related content brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software How to successfully integrate data in a hybrid environment To successfully integrate data in a hybrid cloud environment, organizations must create a simple, secure, and powerful approach with the right modernization tools. By Phil Buckellew May 09, 2024 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software Rethinking DevOps and automation with a layered approach For all its benefits, automation is not something that can just be implemented blindly across the layers of the DevOps stack. If those functions aren’t working together, the automation in each layer only adds more complication, creating ineffic By Phil Buckellew May 09, 2024 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software 6 lessons to learn from the 60-year history of the modern mainframe As we celebrate the mainframe’s rich history, there’s a lot we can still learn from this technological marvel. Here are six lessons the modern mainframe has taught us over its last 60 years. By Phil Buckellew May 09, 2024 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software Fueling modernization in the marketplace This acquisition marks a critical point in mainframe modernization, reinforcing Rocket Software’s commitment to innovation and coupling emerging technologies like AI and machine learning into a business with a decades-long track record of mainf By Phil Buckellew May 09, 2024 4 mins Digital Transformation PODCASTS VIDEOS RESOURCES EVENTS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe