South African specialised software development firm Dariel is furthering the recruitment of Gen Z software developers in to the corporate world.
This was revealed by Lebo Mosola, internal recruiter at Dariel Software, in an interview with ITWeb TV.
The interview focused on the trends Dariel is witnessing in recruiting the younger generation of software developers into the workforce, how to handle the friction that may come from the older generations, as well as Dariel’s graduate programme on software development.
Late last year, fintech group Capital Appreciation concluded agreements to acquire Dariel Solutions, the holding company of Dariel Software, for a total consideration of R131.2 million.
According to Mosola, the company is fitting well into Capital Appreciation following the multimillion-rand buyout deal.
Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, have entered the workforce and are already shaping the future of employment.
A Deloitte survey earlier this year revealed Gen Zs, and millennials, to a slightly lesser degree, are placing priority on reduced or flexible working hours – despite concerns about the potential impact it may have on their finances.
Another survey showed that 73% of Gen Zs value a healthy work-life balance more than a high salary. These respondents are also prepared to leave if their needs aren’t met – 83% considered themselves job-hoppers.
Work-life balance demands
Says Mosola: “One of the things that is very noticeable is that the Gen Zs have a very strong opinion of what it is that they want to do. They are no longer conforming…and they know where exactly they want to fit in.
“They are looking for a better work-life balance and flexible environments. They want to join organisations that have got a good culture that is flexible and not too rigid.
“Times have significantly changed over the past five years, and you need to be an organisation that is adapting to these changes if you want to have a broader, more dynamic and diverse generation within the organisation.”
Mosola points out that if company enforces a rigid environment, it may have a tough time, because Gen Zs do not fit into that mould.
“Your older generations might fit, but even they are starting to see the benefits of having a flexible work-life balance.
“Gen Zs bring a little bit of a shift − they think differently, think out of the box and challenge the status quo. They are not okay with you just saying ‘this is the process’. You need to explain to them why that process is in place. Their voices are important because they make you step back and think if there are ways you can do things differently.”
However, she notes that while it is necessary to cater for the needs of the younger generation, it is equally vital that employees who have been with the company over the years feel just as important.
“At Dariel, the amount of energy we have for Gen Zs in getting them upskilled is the exact same energy we put into our developers, our BAs [business analysts] that have been in our space for 10 to 15 years. They should not feel there is no longer space for them.”
Developing careers
She notes Dariel’s graduate programme has been in place for a number of years and has seen some success stories.
The software development graduate initiative is based in Johannesburg for BSc – Computer Science/Computer Engineering students in their final year of study.
“We’ve got a graduate programme that runs every year. Dariel believes in accelerated growth – we do not believe that one individual can stay in one position for a very long time. So, our graduates are in that position for just that year and they soon get promoted into junior developers.”
Applications for the programme usually open around April of each year, she says.
“We do thorough checks and interviews, and make sure we open a wide net to have people with Computer Sciences and IT degrees to make sure they are aligned with what we do at Dariel.
“Graduates don’t have a niche yet − they don’t know yet which avenue of software development they want to get into. So, we groom them in-house. I am very glad that the programme has seen some success. We’ve had very successful senior developers and architects who started as graduates, and that in itself is a success story.
Typically, she says, the company recruits about 20 graduates each year, and they receive a market-related salary.
Mosola urges interested candidates to check Dariel’s social media platforms for information relating to the latest intake.
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