Today our partnerships, supply chain and skills authenticity are key components in the difference between offering an impersonal, inflexible, managed service or a people led collaborative service
Bamboo Technology Group has spent the last four years going through a challenging transition. Moving our proposition from offering primarily connectivity services to a business that is now focussed on both IT and communications long term strategies for our clients.
Today our partnerships, supply chain and skills authenticity are key components in the difference between offering an impersonal, inflexible, managed service or a people led collaborative service. Whichever type of service provider you are dealing with, we are all talking about the same growing hurdle - why is it such a challenge to attract and retain the right people with the right skills and attitudes?
You may believe that in a county where Cyber, Technology, Engineering, Manufacturing and Innovation play a large part, recruitment would be a breeze. You would be mistaken. Business skills in IT and Comms are difficult to find and, more worryingly, there is a trend of declining interest in this sector from the younger generations. How do we deal with this – continue doing the same or break the mould?
As part of our personal development, we are all taught to learn from experience; yet we rarely look backwards to see who or what helped us grow. We often forget the methodology we used as individuals, small businesses and start-ups - namely using our gut and giving people a chance.
As we grow, we take on more corporate, complex approaches to making decisions and running our businesses. We learn new management skills, understand how to create and implement strategies and processes and professionalise ourselves to get the ‘foot in the door’ with the more attractive prospects. At the same time, we can forget that attracting people and partnerships isn’t necessarily about the how to, instead it’s about the who and the why. And so it sometimes takes revisiting yourself, or visiting others who are going through that journey, to remember what is important. Very recently I had the good fortune to do just that.
A small, yet unique business based in Tetbury has, in a very organic way, challenged the mould.
At Jireh Solutions, stereotypes simply don’t exist. Welcomed at the door by Kevin, I was offered a cup of tea and taken through to a bright and fresh meeting room. Two and a half hours with Andy, the owner and MD, brought refreshing views on where to find and how to nurture the right people in the right roles.
You may think that in Tetbury the talent pool is limited, but true engagement with local schools, careers and networking events means Jireh have little issue enticing talent. Successful apprentices, developers who have changed career direction, male and female first and second line support, a wonderfully cohesive and relaxed business environment and you can feel the understated thread of success.
Offering employment under the premise of providing jobs in your local business community is a good feeling. But engaging in the right places at the right times and making decisions based on what you can do for others is what it is important.
As an established business of 20 years, we think we have the answers, but new relationships bring new ideas. Engaging with small and large businesses should remind us about what’s important.
Do we want to be the business that cares about the who and the why - or do we want to be one that focusses only on the how? I know which one we prefer to be - and work with.
Perhaps we need to challenge the view that talent is short and remember to focus on the engagement of community, schools, parents, councils and all those around us who only want to be given a chance. After all, at some point in the past, someone did the same for us.
The pleasure is always in connecting people.
