In the context of a widening digital skills gap, understanding what motivates tech professionals already in the sector, and why they would choose to quit their job is a critical subject for businesses to face.
Addressing the skills gap has to be a two-fold initiative: the tech sector needs more new talent, but it also has to hold onto those already present and offer them sustainable career trajectories to avoid net-neutral outcomes.
To contribute actionable insights to this vital conversation around retention, Jefferson Frank, a Tenth Revolution Group company, has mined new data to uncover the top 10 reasons tech professionals consider quitting their jobs and looking to other employers.
Responding to this new data, Jefferson Frank Chairman and CEO James Lloyd-Townshend commented: "These new insights are like a retention checklist. I'm not surprised to see a lack of salary increase come out on top — fair compensation will always be critical. What's interesting is that the other top reasons broadly fall into three categories: progression, purpose, and working culture. Re-invigorating these elements will give businesses the best chance of holding onto their tech talent."
Retention Tip #1: Think About Progression
Tech professionals want clear pathways and career tracks to give them more incentive to stay with a business in the longer term. This needs to include clarity around new responsibilities and initiatives at each stage in order to avoid any sensation of the work becoming too stale or employees feeling like they're being underutilized.
Retention Tip #2: Think About Purpose
Organizational purpose has never been more important. Professionals want to feel engaged and connected to what they're doing. Ensuring your business is keeping up with developments in the space is essential here, as tech professionals tend to want to be on the cutting edge. But this is also something that has to be embedded at leadership level. A clear and well-communicated sense of purpose and company trajectory will radiate outwards in a positive way for staff throughout a business. …
