The Manage IT Newsletter - Testing IT Worker Commitment:

In this issue we will focus on how you can determine your IT worker's level of passion and commitment to you and your organization.

Welcome to the September 2005 issue of the "Manage IT Newsletter."

In this issue we will focus on giving you a simple tool that will enable you to quickly determine whether or not your team members are fully committed to their work. Do you believe that your top people are fully committed to giving you their best efforts and staying with your team? How can you find the answer to this question? These are especially important areas demanding your attention as the talent wars continue to heat up, so I invite you to read on.

I also invite you to share this newsletter with your network, friends and colleagues. If you are an IT executive or HR professional, pass a copy of this newsletter on to your IT managers and team members. A FREE subscription is available by sending a blank email to:

ManageITNewsletter-on@zines.webvalence.com
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With warmest regards,

Joe Santana,
Co-author Manage IT
http://www.manageitbook.com
***************************In this Issue ****************************
Focus Topic - Are your ITO team-members committed to you and your company?
More resources for your career and business
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--------------------------- Focus Topic -----------------------------

Are your ITO team-members committed to you and your company?

Are your top people fully committed to giving you their best efforts and staying with your team? Are you in danger of losing some of your best people as the weak employee market strengthen and job offers increase?

The answer to these questions depends on how effective you are in driving employee engagement. Engagement is defined as a state of full-strength, enthusiastic dedication to work in which an employee is passionately connected to her or his job. Engaged employees according to studies are not only highly productive in their workplace, they are also very likely to stay with your organization.

So what are some of the things you need to do to maintain this high level of team member engagement? That was one of the areas I focus on in my recent discussion with Leigh Branham, founder and CEO of Keeping the People Inc and author of "The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave." In his work, incorporating data from surveys performed by the prestigious Saratoga Institute of more than 19,000 employees, Branham has uncovered seven key areas that need to be effectively addressed in order for leaders to attain the level of dedication and loyalty associated with engagement. Specifically, these are having . . .

1. A job or workplace that is exactly what the employee expected when she or he was hired

2. Jobs that make the best use of the employee's natural talents

3. An environment where leaders and managers provide an adequate amount of coaching and feedback

4. A workplace that offers growth and advancement opportunities

5. Leaders and managers that make employees feel highly valued and recognized

6. A workload that is balanced and enables employees to enjoy both their job and personal life

7. Senior leadership this is trustworthy and inspires confidence

Want to know where you stand relative to these key areas? I invite you to find out using the survey questions shown below.

Accompanied by a short note explaining your appreciation for their feedback, ask your team to rate the seven statements below as follows: 1= Strongly Disagree, 2= Disagree, 3= Slightly Disagree, 4=Slightly Agree, 5= Agree or 6=Strongly Agree

1. My job/workplace is exactly what I expected it to be when I was hired
2. My job is well matched to my talents and enables me to excel and enjoy my work
3. I get an adequate amount of coaching and feedback
4. My workplace offers me growth and advancement opportunities
5. I feel valued and recognized in my workplace
6. My workload is balanced and enables me to enjoy both my job and my personal life
7. I have trust and confidence in my senior leadership

(Compare your results with the responses given by the participants in my recent global survey of these topics http://www.joesantana.com/Engagement.htm).

As the war for talent heats up, it is prudent for ITO leaders and managers to determine where they stand with their workers and to start thinking about the steps needed to further engage and retain top team members.

As always, my best toward your continued success!

JS

P.S. See below for more resources on this and other IT professional and management topics.

------------- Resources for your career and business ---------------

NEED A SEMINAR LEADER FOR YOUR NEXT LIVE OR WEB EVENT BASED SEMINAR, EXECUTIVE BREIFING OR FORUM EVENT?
Contact me either via email at joe@joesantana.com or call me at 347.228.8978.

WANT TO KNOW WHAT OTHER IT PROS AROUND THE WORLD THINK?
Join my virtual IT professional World Wide network at http://itpww1-network.ryze.com (Membership is free).

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE WEEKLY UPDATES ON TRENDS AND EVENTS THAT IMPACT YOUR IT CAREER & PRACTICES?
Visit my blog hosted by ITToolbox.com. This, weekly news site updated two to three times per week, contains rapid insights into the news that affects the careers and jobs of IT professionals. To access visit http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/strategies

I hope you enjoyed this issue of the IT Managers Newsletter and as always I look forward to continuing to serve you.