Channel staff rate training over wages

High salary only the fifth most important influence

When it comes to job satisfaction, channel staff would rather have responsibility, career progression or training than a high salary, according to analyst IDC.

Belying their materialistic image, a survey of 440 European and UK channel staff found that pay was only the fifth most important influence on job satisfaction.

The survey, commissioned by Hewlett Packard for its Star channel training and certification programme, found that 80 per cent of UK staff expect vendors to provide sales and technical training. Some 70 per cent said they would not want to work for employers which offered poor training.

Andrew Milroy, director of European services at IDC, explained that the current skills shortage in Europe was making highly trained individuals attractive to organisations, and that this has been recognised by staff. "Potential employees find the offer of continuous education a very attractive proposition," he said.

Oliver Stokes, a manager at reseller Basilica, said: "I have seen a big shift in employee concern away from wages and towards training which will provide staff with long-term job prospects. Job security is not high at the moment and people want to make sure they are as employable as possible."