According to the Global Knowledgesurvey, 15% of IT pros are not satisfied in their current job and most of them are looking elsewhere. That number more than doubled when DICE published their salary survey, which revealed that 40% of tech pros said they’d switch job if the right one came along.
With tech workers receiving twice as many InMails from recruiters than any other profession in the world, employers need to start listening to the reasons why their top performers are leaving.
Advice for tech employers
Tech professionals are in demand – and many know it. But not all employers have caught on yet. As a recruitment agency with an advisory division that helps organisations with their talent retention and well as attraction, we can see the importance of getting the mix right for IT pros – from all angles.
The Global Knowledge survey showed some interesting data. A staggering one in three IT pros surveyed expressed an interest in changing employers. 31% of those were men and 23% were women.
The Top Reasons for Leaving a Job in Tech
There were many reasons given by employees for their unhappiness but here are the six top reasons cited for leaving a job in tech:
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Salary
Unsurprisingly, salary and remuneration came top. According to DICE, 63% say that salary is the main driver for leaving. Of those, Global Knowledge found that IT Pros in Telecoms, Hospitality, Media and IT Comms Manufacturing are most likely to leave for a better salary elsewhere.
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Working Conditions
Unsatisfactory working conditions were cited by those working in the higher salary positions, suggesting that with more responsibility came greater pressures such as long hours, long commute and inflexible working.
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Differences amongst peers
Survey results showed that decision makers are much happier than their staff and that the discrepancy between the two is growing – not just in terms of salary but in development too. Many staff felt that their ideas weren’t listened to or that their efforts weren’t recognised. Others felt that the wrong people in the organisation had the power, made regular mistakes and left problems unresolved.
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Career Development
Linkedin carried out a major study to find out why hundreds of tech workers had moved jobs. The biggest reason was due to a lack of career advancement: employees didn’t feel they were moving forward with their previous employer. In many cases, employers look outside the organisation for leaders instead of looking internally first, which can have a detrimental effect on morale and loyalty.
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Job Security
Both the DICE and Global Knowledge surveys found that those who felt less secure were twice as likely to look elsewhere. Highly paid professionals were the most likely to jump ship out of fear of losing their job.
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Training
Training and certification is now big news compared to a decade ago. New technology is putting pressure on employers and their staff to update knowledge and skills. 10% of IT pros are worried that their position could be eliminated or that they don’t have the skills needed for future jobs, putting a greater focus on professional development than ever before. Those employees surveyed who received training felt more secure and valued.
As an employer, whether you’re looking to retain the talent you have or you want to improve the candidate and employee experience for future hires, it’s worth taking note of why tech pros leave. Tech recruitment is tough and your competitors are looking at your people.
If you’d like advice on how to attract and retain top tech talent, please contact the consultants at P-r-o.