ITS professional development: refine, reward, retain

ABSTRACT

Within Information Technology Services (ITS) Division at Saint Louis University, professional development (PD) serves as the bridge where prospective and current ITS employees are now, and where they will need to be in order to meet the new challenges and opportunities during their employment with ITS. Successful professional development should be effective, rigorous, and relevant to both the individual and the organization. While supporting the strategies of ITS and Saint Louis University, professional development must also ensure continued preparation and career-long development of the ITS employee.Professional development is an integral part of the employee Performance Appraisal process for ITS employees. PD is seen as a win-win situation wherein the employee benefits by learning and improving current or new skills, and ITS benefits by recruiting and retaining highly skilled professionals. Several employee attitudes can relate to a company's profitability. To be specific, the role of managers and supervisors is extremely important. Quite often, employees don't leave companies - they leave managers and supervisors. Taking a quick assessment of employee attitude leads to creating solutions that help retain highly productive employees. Looking at how the employee relates to the manager/supervisor and the way that relationship influences productivity is important. Employee satisfaction is directly related to the employee learning and growing on the job, and to the employee being rewarded for such growth and learning. The responsibility for obtaining opportunities for such growth rests with the employee and manager.A professional development plan that is REFINED to fit the needs of the employee and supervisor and REWARDING financially and professionally for the ITS employee helps to RETAIN valuable ITS employees by providing new opportunities for growth and empowering the employees to direct their career path at Saint Louis University. As a result, the career development will narrow the gap that spans where ITS employees are now to where they need to be to meet the new challenges and opportunities during their employment with Saint Louis University.

REFERENCES

• 1: "Professional Development: Learning From The Best," Blueprints CD-ROM. North Central Regional Educational Library, Oak Brook, IL 60523

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
      K.6.1 Project and People Management
          Subjects: Management techniques (e.g., PERT/CPM)

Additional Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
      K.6.1 Project and People Management
          Subjects: Strategic information systems planning; Staffing

General Terms:
Management, Standardization, Theory