Hidden champions: small and medium-sized IT companies profile themselves as the new dream employers
Employer branding pays off
Working ambience becoming more important to job seekers
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The quality of work at IT companies is better than in other industries, reveals a survey by the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB, Confederation of German Unions). That is why IT firms are often at the top of employer rankings. Groups like IBM and SAP, however, suffer in the image stakes: massive job cuts have made the working climate there more bleak. Small and medium-sized IT businesses, on the other hand, are gaining the favour of more and more employees. novomind, for example, was recently designated "Hamburg’s best employer 2009". The software company is one of the top three employers among IT service providers in Hamburg.
Battle for talents: smaller IT companies catching up
As recently as last year, nine out of ten small and medium-sized IT companies were unable to fill vacant posts, and one of the reasons was that they were investing too little in their image as employers. Graduates and trained workers usually looked towards big, well-known companies as their dream employers. But this image is now changing. Increased investment in the working environment and in employer branding are paying off for smaller hardware and software firms.
Human instead of computerised colleagues
Smaller businesses are distinguishing themselves from the bigger IT firms by profiling themselves as companies with uncomplicated working climates where there is plenty of conversation, something which 77 per cent of employees consider especially important when looking for a suitable employer. Staff at novomind, for instance, describe their company as unusually open and a place where communication is valued, according to the jury of the "Hamburg’s best employers" award. Pursuing one’s own ideas is also actively encouraged there.
Good career opportunities for women
Personal freedom to decide and act is also a reason why more and more women are applying for jobs at smaller and medium-sized companies. Ninety per cent of such companies strive to meet their female employees’ needs when it comes to working hours and locations so that they can have time for their families. Big companies, on the other hand, often impose rigid career structures which obstruct the professional progress of women.
novomind AG: innovative software for professional customer communication and Internet systems
Hamburg-based software company novomind is the fastest-