Betfair, winner of the hospitality,
entertainment and leisure category in Computer Weekly's 2007 Best
Places to Work in IT competition, is planning to build on last
year's achievements with more staff training.
The online sports betting company intends to increase the
opportunities for employees to communicate and build relationships
with senior people in the organisation, as well as extend staff
participation in innovative projects and initiatives.
Enrolment on tailored development and training programmes
designed to help move abilities and careers to the next level is
another area the company is looking at, said Rorie Devine, CTO at
Betfair.
Betfair is also examining the impact and results from its green
initiatives, he said.
The company matches and settles about five million bets a day
worldwide. That makes for a demanding environment. "Everyone who
works here knows that we measure success by uptime and how fast we
can process a bet," said Matt Young, Betfair's engineering partner
development director.
Staff receive an intense three-day induction with regular
coaching and mentoring as well as the opportunity to coach and
mentor others to share experience and expertise among team members.
Formal courses are supplemented with "bite-sized masterclasses" as
well as personal communications skills and yoga.
The CTO runs a regular open forum for engineers. Staff can win
£10,000 for the best innovative product or prototype built in the
past six months, and Betfair Labs showcases new ideas with
customers, fostering creativity and innovation.
Working hours are extremely flexible. Late starts following late
finishes are common, as is time in lieu and home working. There is
also a games room with a TV and a Playstation, and there are
discounts on goods such as music vouchers, travel and electronic
items.
Computer Weekly best places to work in IT awards
2008
Computer Weekly is gearing up to host its fifth annual Best
Places to Work in IT competition, which aims to find the UK's best
managed IT departments.
Departments that provide a positive working environment,
continuous professional development and a good work/life balance
stand to gain from entering the competition.
By highlighting and applauding the best IT employers, the awards
are part of Computer Weekly's drive to find and promote best
practice in IT departments across the country.
Previous entrants have found that simply entering the awards
brings benefits. The entry process allows managers to take stock of
the way the department operates. Plus, the profile of the
department can be raised both internally and externally, motivation
and retention of staff can be increased, and recruitment can become
easier.
There are several categories for IT departments of all sizes.
The deadline for entries is Friday October 5, and the winners will
be announced at an awards ceremony in March 2008.