Providing flexible benefits offers a solution to the UK's IT "brain drain", it has been claimed.

This is the suggestion made by one expert, who advocated providing a range of subsidies in kind in order to keep talented employees in the country.

Those seeking IT jobs in the UK may be interested in the comments made by Peter Healey that the country is currently at risk of skills in the sector moving overseas as continental rivals tend to offer higher wages and tax breaks to professionals.

Sales director for the IT Jobs Board, he explained: "From what we've seen, what is important to staff is having a choice of benefits."

Mr Healey added that these may include "flexitime, health plans, pension plans", or even a mobile phone.

Figures from the organization have indicated that the proportion of IT workers anticipating bonuses this year stands at 61 per cent in the UK, compared with 53 per cent in both the Netherlands and Germany.

Posted by Alex Donnell