How to improve loyalty in ESN?
This article is a summary of our eponymous conference on the subject. The replay can be found here .
Attracting talent is good. Keeping them is better.
In digital services companies (DSCs), recruiting qualified talent is a constant challenge. But without a retention strategy, every hire becomes a lost expense. Turnover directly impacts profitability, customer satisfaction, and internal dynamics. Yet, the historical model of DSCs still relies heavily on a transactional approach to placement.
Retaining your consultants: a business priority or just wishful thinking?
Too often, the priority of IT services companies remains maximizing consultant employment, to the detriment of proactive career management. This approach is now reaching its limits. IT services companies that successfully stabilize their teams adopt a strategy based on three pillars:
- active monitoring of consultants on assignment, to prevent them from feeling detached from their original company.
- transparent communication on compensation and value creation, in order to eliminate misunderstandings that fuel frustration.
- a tangible corporate culture that fosters a sense of belonging and engages talent over the long term.
Transparency on remuneration: does it reassure or scare people away?
The issue is a recurring one: the perceived lack of transparency regarding the distribution of value between the ESN and its consultants fuels many departures. The issue of daily rates and margins often remains unclear, creating misunderstandings and a feeling of imbalance.
Some IT companies are beginning to tackle the problem head-on, communicating more clearly about their business model and incorporating fairer measures, such as excess margin payouts. Fair and clearly explained compensation is becoming a powerful retention lever.
How can you prevent your consultants from becoming detached once they are at the client's premises?
A consultant on assignment with a client can quickly lose all connection with their original IT services company. The challenge is therefore to structure concrete actions to maintain a sense of belonging, particularly by relying on a work environment designed to foster loyalty.
What works:
- the key role of business managers, who must maintain regular contact with consultants on assignment.
- internal events and business communities, allowing consultants to identify with their ESN and not just their client.
- mechanisms such as mentoring, which strengthen commitment within the company.
ESNs that neglect this work see their turnover explode, not due to a lack of development opportunities, but due to a lack of connection with their own organization.
Co-optation, a reliable indicator of internal satisfaction?
Hugo Rizzo, Global Head of Talent Acquisition , shares: “At VO2 Group, referrals represent 35% of recruitment – well above the industry average.” This figure illustrates a simple reality: satisfied consultants are a company’s best ambassadors.
But an effective referral policy isn't based solely on financial incentives. It works when employees genuinely want to recommend their company. This is a sign that the company culture is strong and that the promises made at the time of hiring are being kept.
Controlling turnover: an HR issue or a direct lever on margins?
IT companies that manage talent retention don't do so simply for HR reasons. They do so because controlled turnover protects margins, improves service quality, and builds customer trust.
Implementing a genuine retention policy isn't an option. It's a strategic lever that directly impacts financial performance and growth, particularly by guaranteeing each employee clear and realistic career prospects.
Do you want results or promises? I'm always up for a good coffee ☕️
