Money or your life? Survey shows how IT workers value time

The UK’s tech employees are looking for supportive cultures that offer learning and development, challenges and opportunities to grow in the profession, according to a new survey from tech recruiter, CWJobs.The findings underscore the growing awareness of the role of engagement in global mobility and HR as the UK’s booming digital technology sector fights to find ways to fill an estimated 600,000 vacancies, costing the country an estimated £63bn annually.

What Generation Z wants from work

CWJobs surveyed over 1,000 IT workers representing Generation Z (aged 16-24), Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) and Generation X (broadly those aged 45-54) earlier this year for their views on what they look for in an employer.Its research found that while 62% say they would quit their job to achieve positive work-life balance, people in Generation Z felt most strongly about this.Seven in 10 (72%) said they would leave a company if their life outside of work was compromised. More than half (56%) of Gen Z workers also said a new challenge is more important than salary and other benefits (33%). This, says CWJobs, proves “interesting work is the key to attracting the next generation of talent.”

Pay is important – but by no means the whole story

Nevertheless, pay is still important overall to these in-demand employees as a whole.Salary and benefits are the biggest drivers for jobseekers searching for a new role. Over two-thirds (71%) agree with this. The focus shifts as workers progress through their careers, with over two-thirds (67%) of Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) being attracted to salary and benefits. 

Career development and culture critical to IT talent retention

However, a majority of tech workers also value the opportunity to grow as professionals.Over half (52%) say they are willing to leave their jobs over a lack of career progression, while a third (35%) would move elsewhere for more learning and development opportunities.Equally, micromanagement would drive four in 10 workers (39%) out of the door, rising to 50% of Generation X IT workers. Company culture is key for one in three (36%).Dominic Harvey, Director at CWJobs comments: “Striking the right balance between a competitive renumeration package and opportunities for development is one of the biggest challenges facing employers. Clearly, there is no one-size-fits all approach to attracting the best tech talent.”

Creative approaches to recruitment and retention

To further assist employers identify how to tantalise in-demand tech workers to their doors and retain the best talent, CWJobs have been working with culture fit specialists Good&Co to undertake extensive research.This suggests there are six personas amongst UK IT workers in the modern workplace with specific motivators when it comes to attraction, recruitment, retention and development.  “The UK tech sector needs to find effective ways of addressing and solving the skills crisis,” explained Dominic Harvey. “That’s why we’ve worked with Good&Co to help recognise different personality types in the workplace in a fun and playful way, to help candidates find industries and roles that suit them, and enable employers to tailor their approach for different tech personas.”

Six techie temperaments

The Chameleons

The Chameleons are the most measured group, yet with a slight disposition towards adventure and embracing new experiences. To attract this type of IT worker, companies need to offer a new challenge to get their teeth into, alongside good salary and benefits, as this group is the most likely to leave due to a lack of career progression.Industries of interest = Arts & CulturePreferred specialities = General IT, Cloud, Coding

The High Fliers

The High Fliers are driven by the will to move up the career ladder and reach that senior level within a company. As a result, they’re most likely to stay in a role for over five years, as their primary aim is career progression, making them loyal to the companies that can provide that.Industries of interest = Open to all industriesPreferred specialities = General IT, Cloud

The Curious Collaborators

This sociable and extroverted group is the perfect networking combination. Calm and less competitive, personal connections and collaborations are the biggest motivators for such individuals. To attract this persona, a job role needs to be intellectually stimulating and provide a real challenge.Industries of interest = Open to all industriesPreferred specialities = Cybersecurity, General IT

The Outlaws

The Outlaws are the ones that are prepared to push the boundaries to get what they want. Preferring work that is relatively stress-free means this group is looking for roles that allow career progression while maintaining a healthy work-life balanceIndustries of interest = Finance & LegalPreferred specialities = Cybersecurity, General IT, Coding 

The Provocateurs 

The most extreme scorers are also the most interested in training and upskilling. These are the respondents who chose an extreme answer on many personality traits; eg absolutely yes or absolutely no in the survey.To secure this type of individual the key is focusing on professional development and the importance of a good work-life balance. The provocateurs are the least interested in exploring different industries, prioritising a job that is serving them as an individual over brand loyalty every time.Industries of interest = Strongly prefers to work in IT & TelecomsPreferred specialities = General IT, Cloud

The Diplomats

The highest scoring group for empathy, they have a knack for persuading and caring about others in the team. The Diplomats’ highly protective nature means they are drawn to cybersecurity over other industry specialism, with a high proportion of these individuals occupying roles in security. Industries of interest = Travel & Transport, Architecture, Engineering & BuildingPreferred specialities = Cybersecurity, AI, Cloud

Tailoring talent management for IT

“The tech industry has the highest turnover rate compared to any other industry,” said Good&Co's Chief Psychometrician & Co-Founder, Dr Kerry Schofield. “With this in mind, it‘s clear that simply hiring for skills and experience is not sufficient. In order to improve retention rates, tech employers need to go a step further and consider the fit between a candidate’s personality and the role in question.”Dominic Harvey, Director at CWJobs, added: “It’s exciting to view the tech and IT recruitment in such a new and dynamic way, by looking at personality types and seeing how employers or businesses can tailor their offering to meet the traits of individuals. This way, perhaps workers will discover new things about what they should be looking for in a role in ways that might’ve been discounted before.”

Follow the links for more news and features from Relocate Global on HR. 

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