With the growth in the American labor pool expected to slow in the coming years, particularly in the key 25B44 age bracket, IT companies will have to compete for work force share as well as market share. This need for companies to become more proactive in retaining employees has affected far more than employees' bank balances. The work environment has changed for the better. Intel, for example, has used retirement benefits as a strong hold on its employees. In an ever-changing marketplace, ongoing staff training also plays an important role.
Technical staff are greatly concerned about staying current with their skills.
Employees afraid of getting stuck in a career rut are especially eager to earn vendor accreditation for such hot technologies as Windows NT and NetWare. The best way to entice workers to take a new position is to offer them better technology in a dynamic environment. Workers want to be challenged with increased technical skills and responsibility. Entry-level positions usually are more susceptible to turnover than are senior positions. So many hop from job to job in the first few years after graduation, accumulating experience and enhancing their value to prospective employers.