Dear Friends,

This is an issue facing almost all HR professional in IT industry. Why do the IT professionals resign ? If we can tackle this even partially we will be considered very successful.

Popular theory and most well accepted one is that the salary differences are huge and that comes from scarcity of people. Therefore people resign.

The other theory and less debated is that, people need change whereas institutions cherish stability. This results in IT professional stagnating in a technology, project, product or whatever you have. Development jobs soon become maintenance jobs. Therefore to break this monotony and have growth people move out of organizations.

Another way of looking at this issue institutions do not value the individuals worth and acknowledge and appreciate his existence. Therefore to rebel against the institutional tyrany and the onesided treatment given to employees, IT professionals resign.

I am aware there is no fixed answer to this issue.

This mail is just to feel what seems to be a common cause and how can we as HR professionals respond to this phenomenon.

Thanks
Sangeeta

Dear Sangeeta,

I believe its starts with our needs. Maslow and herzberg still rules for the foundation it provided us in understanding people.

If you look at a software company, you will see a homogenity in the age group. Between 22 to 28, with exceptions of managers and VP's. Coming out of college, very enthusiatic, energetic with an attitude. In a resource crunch industry where poachig and headhunting has become a way of life.. temptation rules..

Now look at the family..Father and mother usually from a government service or public sector..some private sector...retired with a salary that these professionals start with. Its a pride for parents..

Why do we Work?

Money..work ....environment...brand....service..overseas... or employability... I read an article few months back on a Company called *** from Bangalore, the company won the best HR award last year. The HR manager said  Software pro is only loyal to the profession and not to the organisation, they look at employability".. In a way we also look at that but with a software engineer its more because they are in a dynamic industry and technology change overnight, new releases come up evry 6 months. If they are in a Company that do not provide training they will dump the company because they get worried and concerned. In this industry if you do not catch the right train, no one will give you a lift.

So i believe, its how fast i can earn more money and how employable i am ....and how can I go abroad?

In India if you can own your house in a career span of three to five years its creditable and only this industry can fulfill that dream.

Regards,

Krishna

I don't think it can be put in more crisp format. I fully agree with these observations.

My concern is what we need to do as HR professionals in organisations and what kind of policies, mechanisms and systems that we need to bring in so as to gain control over this phenomenon. Many institutions are tackling it from an individual's point of view and are trying to make wealthy employees.

Can there be another way for institutions that can not pay say small institutions, Government funded institutions, educational or research based institutions. You must be aware of many sectors of IT industry which are flush with as much money as Software application oriented ventures are.

My thoughts are there and not so much with run of the mill software application company.

Dear All,

Yeah, it sounds like a great subject, but much talked about, debated and is more of a fact of life. Why do we want to find solution to this. Like its the way of being for other industris, this is the way of being for the s/w industry. Can we accept this as a fact of life and live with it. It is indeed meanigful to find out why this happens and what most of you have said on the subject I fully endorse that. I also strongly believe that the scene would change once the demand-supply position changes. I also foresee, IT creeping into other industries and over a period of time all industries would look like IT industries. This transition would take about 5 years, althought the trend has begun. Look at the transition in banking (service) industry.

Debradutta

Hello all,

Good to see you people think about the issue of turnover. However I wouldn't bash Maslow and Herzberg. I know the chinks in Maslows theory and where exactly Herzberg's theory does not work in today's constant. My favourite is Victor Vroom. See if you can remember his fundas and see any problems with that model!

By the way the point is turnover. There are 2 ways to look at it. One is  "Way of Life". When we take this stance then there is nothing wrong and nothing needs to be done and everything cool. Just carry on and don't think about it!

The other is this is happening around me and in some way small or big I am contributing to it. Then we need to pause and think. In this case definitely something needs to be done. I am with the second line of thought.Because what is happening is happening because of us!

Second line because not all the organizations are witnessing similar rates of attrition, not all of them are having similar environment and some are doing better than others. Therefore we as HR professionals can do our bit to understand this phenomenon and carve out appropriate policies related to people. May this can help reduce the rate of attrition.

Look at it like this if less people leave we need to recruit that much less, we can develop that much more and harness the energy for that much more!

By the way I came to IT from a Financial institutions sector!

Rgds
Janaki