Why and How to Prevent Your CIO from Leaving

 Let’s start with the question who of us has never thought of leaving a job? After all, we all think that changing employers would not only lead to hefty paychecks but also a better career development plan.

And it is unquestionable that the significance of each employee in the corporation is paramount. At most, an ability to influence internal corporate processes equals the level of personal responsibility. As a rule (but not always and this is not a constant one), employee’s compensation corresponds to this level of responsibility.

Therefore, proper management of company’s internal and external processes is key for companies. In regard to the company’s services and products development processes, marketers and the top managers play a crucial role in determining the future of the company in most of these processes (Ummh… but not all).

One of these managers is the Chief Information Officer (CIO). He is in charge of the digital progress, the realization of future opportunities and innovations, as well as the formation of a team with futuristic convictions in their hands. They are the people that can help reinvent the organization and if necessary utilize the technology required to alter a business model.

But in the course of their careers, CIOs may want to quit so as to search other better opportunities (if at all they are there). This can be complicated because CIOs are among the managers who form the pillar of the company. There are several reasons according to the latest #CIOChat why CIOs may want to leave. Let’s underscore some of the reasons.  Perhaps, it might help to prevent your CIO from leaving:

1) Stress at Work

More than 35% of managers quit because of stress at work.

That’s according to a study undertaken by business research firm Gallup.

In the course of the survey, 100 middle and senior managers in the age between 25 to 45 years were interviewed. Based on their responses, it was found that 35% of them are likely to leave their jobs because of work-associated stress.

They say that this is due to the behemoth tasks laid on their desks each workday. The study further shows that 50% of managers are dissatisfied with low wages, huge workload and irregular working hours.

Solution:

Having an intranet system let you see every user activity, including management staff. You shouldn’t become a stalker to follow every step your managers do. However, seeing the full picture can help gauge when your CIO is under a heavy workload. Do your CIO have personal blogs at the portal, how often do they publish their thoughts? How frequently do they communicate with subordinates online?

These and many other questions may help highlight CIO’s personals involvement in the company’s tasks. Check for workloads, inconsistency and communication processes – identify the red flag and look for a solution instantly.

If the IT Director is not as active as usual or he isn’t active online, then he is losing interest in his work. If you don’t address the root of the problem, you’ll soon find his CV on Google Search. To help the IT manager reduce the stress you should discuss his work schedule, everyday challenges, and complexities. Support him through intranet chat – maintain authority, comment his messages in threads, and build the most comfortable online environment by being open and straightforward.

2) Lack of Investments in IT

It would seem an obvious thing: without solid investments in IT such as sufficient manpower, your business will lack behind technologically. In particular, this is an acute issue for advanced technology. Innovations do not have time to enter the market when new technical devices are produced to replace them.

Unfortunately, for many investors, IT department in the company is only a strategic element that is sustained and not developed. There is no real value for this industry. As a matter of fact, companies purchase various programs, for example, customer relationship management system (CRM) which should have been developed by the IT team. The IT team just manages and maintains the “traditional” technologies without being given a chance in the decision-making process. Therefore, the company has fewer opportunities for potential growth than those who make IT department a strategically innovative epicenter for the company.

Giving the IT team the limelight to customize and innovate the technological infrastructure of the business gives them the ability to manage and analyze customer interactions and data. This should happen throughout the life cycle of the client in the CRM model. Field Service Management Software can also be used by the team to automate financial, customer relationship and supply chain processes.

The lack of improvements stops a business’s digitization process. All this also frustrates CIOs. They reasonably state that when their company is not able to invest enough in stimulating innovation, it’s a sure sign for them to quit.

Solution:

IT managers can propose new technological ideas – programs integration, upgrading own product and so on with Idea Box inside the intranet. Or they can simply ignite meaningful conversations about technologies that can propel the business to new heights in the general intranet chatroom. Discussing ideas with all the staff online helps in drafting comprehensive propositions that can be presented to the management for approval. Such mutual discussions on a general theme can be approved management board letting CIOs thrive in an environment where ideas about innovation are supported even at the helm of the organization. Intranet can facilitate such discussions by measuring them by the number of people who like or comment positively about them. For instance, when ideas get a certain number of likes, it can be sent to the general manager by email.

3)  No Prospects of Promotion

Opportunities for growth are required for all professionals. Even for the IT leaders. A motivated IT director must see himself in the future as either a managing director (COO) or even a company president (CEO). Many CIOs share their opinions that they leave when the leadership does not support their attempts to bring more influence through innovative tech infrastructure into the business.

Of course, CIOs recognize that jobs in the same area in different sectors are very different. Therefore, the IT Directors’ skills set should be relevant to the specific organization. For promotion within the company, CIO must be aware of and accept the culture of the company and the IT team. The reporting structure and qualifications of becoming a General Manager are also important for the CIO success.

Solution:

The CIOs can monitor and read managing director’s blog to train and improve his own skills. Also, digital workplace helps IT Directors increase own recognition through personal blogs, discussion threads and build closer ties with other like-minded corporate employees. Showing own interest in corporate life and actively cooperating with all team members can be an important factor for a promotion.

4) Inconsistent and Unclear Company Objectives

CIOs also state that if business guidelines are not clear and do not match their personal beliefs, this may be the end of their work in the organization. Inconsistent goals or deviations from the original job description perspectives can influence everything. How does the organization relate to employees? How do they explain the corporation presence?

In addition to these common reasons for leaving (better offer, location, leadership change or personal reasons), the CIO role is more susceptible to business objectives in regard to pacing technologies or the required pace of change.

Solution:

Company portal. It shows corporate aims and values to everyone from the first-minute one uses the portal (slider widget) to the time he interacts with other features in the platform. Only company portal can unite dispersed teams and remote offices/employees despite the distances and geographical barriers. Credible and substantial research shows that everyday communication motivates employees. Every worker requires feedback and that is what even the IT Directors need from the top management. These specialists are usually inquisitive and ambitious. And their desire to get involved and be on the same page with corporate plans cannot be ignored.

Conclusions

As stated at the beginning of the article, CIOs are cardinal towards uniting all processes in the organization y managing information in and out of the company. It is extremely important to make them an integral part of the business and have the opportunity to lead the transformation process. Without this, the CIOs will leave. That’s why it is extremely significant to provide them with growth opportunities.

We are not the final authority and neither are we claiming to be experts. All the data shared is only a little part of our own and our clients’ observations. If you are interested in the intranet and have the desire to experience it as a staff motivation tool, we will be happy to assist you.