Low Unemployment isn’t Always Good for Employers

The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation reports that the state’s unemployment rate for the month of March is only 4.3%. So, how are these low rates effecting the project management industry? Think CIO, Ed Mullin  reports that the news isn’t always good for employers.

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I think one of the biggest tech trends going on in Baltimore right now is the impact of low unemployment. What’s happening is that there are so many job openings and there’s so much pressure on the market to fill them because of the ramping up economy that the musical chairs are starting. Now how is that impacted by project management. I talk to a lot of technology people and one of the biggest complaints they have is that the projects are all goofed up at the companies they’re currently employed at. While unemployment is higher the economy is in a recession people will hang out in really crappy environments but as soon as the job market tightens up and the recruiters start calling them they’re not going to put up with lame requirements, lack of testing and  botched projects. They want to work some place where they can create things that are going to the market and their business clients are appreciative of it. This idea of loyalty and people not being loyal, actually they want to be loyal but you have to create an environment where they can succeed. That occurs when projects are well defined and well executed where testing is not dropped off the end of the boat when a dead line gets near and application development is taken a little bit longer. It also takes a lot of management and wherewithal to make this stuff happen. That’s probably the biggest tech trend that you should be aware of because when the people start leaving it’s like a downward spiral. Then the people left have to work harder. Things get later things get missed you’ve got all this institutional  knowledge that just walked out the door. Next thing you know the whole dev staff or ops staff is gone. Start thinking now it’s gonna happen to you and start tightening things up around your policies and procedures about  how you do projects because people will be happier when you’re business clients are happier  and there taking credit for successful launches.