​On the 5th of March, what seems like a lifetime ago, given the events of the intervening period, we brought together 15 of Australia’s tech sector professionals for our inaugural CTO roundtable in Sydney. Our aim (other than eating some wonderful food) was to critically examine three defining characteristics of the tech industry, and through a melting pot of perspectives, understand how organisations are meeting the challenges presented, and preparing for what’s next.

On the agenda;

• Diversity & Inclusion,
• Remote & Offshore Workforces
• Data & Privacy

Here’s an overview of our key findings.

Diversity & Inclusion

How can organisations ensure they are prepared to engage a truly diverse audience in pursuit of the best tech industry talent?

“It’s all about Engagement”

Communicating a hiring need to the talent market in a one-dimensional manner will elicit a one-dimensional response. Spend time and resource on framing the role within the wider story of the organisation and explain in an honest engaging way, the impact you see the role having on the long-term journey.

“Transparency is Key”

Information is king at the beginning of the hiring process. What are the benefits? What are flexible working policies? What does success in this role look like? Candidates become employees and they will compare the reality of the role with the arguments used to sell the opportunity, so be open and honest.

“Remove the unconscious bias impact”

Protect your organisation from unconscious biases by clearly codifying and communicating the procedures that make it an impossibility. Define equal and transparent pay structures for each level of the business and be open about the parameters being set.

Remote & Offshore Workforces

Remote and offshore teams can exponentially increase capacity and output, but how should management principles be applied to ensure real buy-in from these teams?

“Treat the offshore team as your own”

Remove intermediaries wherever possible and manage the team directly. This will bring them closer psychologically to decision making processes, not to mention improve the clarity of communication. Though it’s largely impossible in the present circumstance, regular in-person contact with your remote teams is extremely powerful for securing buy-in. Depending on resource restrictions, considering rotating remote teams into the HQ every three months. It’s also important to define a pathway for high potential remote employees to make sure you retain your prized assets. HiPos should be made a positive example of through visible integration with your HQ team.

Data & Privacy

The cycle of innovation ensures a continuous stream of new products and technologies. These, in turn, bring new security concerns which must be continually pre-empted. How can business stay ahead and prepare their teams?

“Roundtable Consensus”

Simple, but resounding.

• Education, education, education, education
• Governance, governance, governance, governance.

Summary

We are committed to identifying and recruiting permanent and contract talent for some of Australia’s most innovative tech businesses. Contact us today to learn how we can connect your organisation with industry-leading tech talent.