“Living, valuing and sharing” – a case study of retaining IT professionals in the British Columbia public service

Abstract

Suggests that various workplace factors, such as challenging work, reward and innovation, are key components in attracting and retaining information technology (IT) workers. A 2001 research study focused on capturing work environment satisfaction opinions gathered through intensive interviews with 26 IT workers and managers throughout the Government of British Columbia. Illustrates several key themes: all of the participants yearned to feel that their input and knowledge are valued; IT workers want to feel as though they had made a difference to others; there is a need for effective management and leadership skills for managers and more career advancement opportunities for IT workers. Recommends that future British Columbia government research utilizes this study’s baseline data as a progress indicator and adopt many of the retention and recruitment best practices from other public and private sector jurisdictions.