Why young tech workers leave – and what you can do to keep them

In recent months, various survey workers, such as PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Gartner and Pechex – have provided a torrent of information about what they want, especially in technology. One in five workers is expected to quit their current job next year, the talent market is tense and companies are shaking to keep workers happy; Data provides clues to what smart enterprises can do.

Sometimes it’s as simple as asking employees what they want; In other cases, it may be an opportunity for employees to work remotely, a decent increase, news skills, or the opportunity to find money for their work.

Bhushan Sethi, PWC’s People and Organization Joint Global Leader, said, “If the ‘great resignation’ has taught employers something, it should not be allowed to their employees.” Yet many companies take the risk of doing just that – not paying enough attention to skilled workers who are at high risk of losing their jobs or failing to support employees who seek personal fulfillment and money in the workplace.

“Workers who feel empowered in their current situation – for example, have specialized or scarce skills – are ready to test the market,” Sethi said.

Those who plan to jump aboard are more likely to be attracted to younger employees, according to a March survey by PWC, echoed by Gartner’s separate study. It found that those under the age of 30 were two and a half times less likely to have IT workers than those over the age of 50. And as IT workers tend to quit their jobs more than workers in other areas, IT workers have shown an intention to stay 10.2% lower. – IT workers.

“This is the lowest of all corporate functions,” Gartner said.

This is important because young workers – General Z and Millennials – will account for more than half of the technical staff by 2025, according to the World Economic Forum. (Jane Z generally applies to those born between 1997 and 2012, meaning that the oldest members of this group are now approximately 25 years old. Millennials, aged between 26 and 41, make up about 37% of today’s workforce.)

Technical jobs tend to be incomplete

Even with one in five employees planning to leave, the average number of unfinished technology jobs has risen to more than 204,000, and that number is growing.

Unemployment rates for the tech profession fell to near-record lows in May, and employer job postings for technical positions exceeded 443,000, according to the latest labor market data analysis by CompTIA, a non-profit organization for the IT industry and workforce.

Tim Herbert, CompTIA’s chief research officer, said: “The already strong labor market has become even tougher as competition for technology talent has come close to a record high.” “For any employer that relies on the old recruitment playbook, it’s time to reconsider hiring and retention procedures.”

According to COMPTIA, employers across the U.S. economy are increasing their search for tech workers, and tech companies are expanding payroll. Specifically, technology companies added 75,200 employees in the first four months of 2022.

Clearbeat

More than 191,000 new IT jobs will be created in 2022, according to IT employment consultant Janko Associates. The IT job market now has more than 3.85 million positions in the United States, of which about 130,000 are incomplete, according to a recent report by Janko.

Janco analyzed exit interviews of 285 IT functions involving 1,203 employees and found that 45% (543) were employed for 24 months or less. Twenty-four months is a time when an employee is snapped in and considered a full-fledged team player – contributing to the success of the enterprise’s IT function.

“Each of these was considered a recruitment failure,” Janco said.

Do not accept staff for grants

For its third annual “Hopes and Fears Survey”, the PwC asked 52,195 activists across 44 countries and territories to identify where companies might be short on talent retention. Over the next year because they know the demand for their skills is high.

According to Sethi, when employees try to increase, they actually shop and compare offers from other companies. And when it comes to wages, companies must maintain inflation, which is about 8% a year.

But retaining employees requires more than just pay. Employees also need more support to translate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into their work.

Sethi said, “The opportunity to get the job done and to be honest in the workplace is also important for those employees who are considering changing jobs.” A place where I can live on my own. “

Employees also want flexibility in the workplace. This, and the principle of human-centered work, can reduce annoyance and increase performance. In fact, Gartner found that 65% of IT employees said that whether they could work flexibly influenced their decision to stay in an organization.

The majority of workers (63%) prefer the hybrid job option, whereas 18% expect full remote work as an alternative – and 11% prefer full-time remote, according to PwC.

Janko Associates

Many employees want to work remotely or hopefully, companies will have to shake up to make sure employee benefits are relevant to them. Paychex, a U.S. provider of human resources, payroll and benefits outsourcing services, surveyed more than 1,000 employees – from executives through entry-level positions – to find out what benefits workers really want. The survey, conducted earlier this year, showed:

• Only 45% of companies have updated their facilities since switching to remote work, and 73% have asked for employee input.
• Flexible working hours and performance bonuses are the most common benefit updates, but home office stipends (31%), internet rewards (30%), and a four-day work week (29%) that employees really wanted.
• Of the companies that have updated their facilities, 64% of employees have no plans to leave within the next year; Only 47% where benefits have not changed said the same thing.

“The starting point for IT companies is to survey their employees to see which benefit packages are best for them. Updating the benefit package will not only help retain, but also attract new hires, ”said Heather Whitney, Pechex’s human resources trainer.

Find out what employees want, including direct feedback, or surveys

The best practice will probably vary depending on the size of the company. Small companies should have 1-to-1 meetings between directors and employees for direct feedback. Large companies can benefit from a company meeting with a poll to select the desired benefits for employees.

“Our survey shows that employer perceptions are not aligned with employees for many of the desired benefits,” Whitney said. “Different generations often want different benefits, so it’s important for companies to survey their employees to make sure they don’t miss out on the benefits package.”

For example, only 10% of employers pay for internet and 9% pay home office stipends according to paychecks. The most desired benefit of a baby boomer? Four day work week.

When companies update benefit packages based on employee input, 73% cite “improve productivity,” the Pechex survey found.

Instead of waiting for a performance review that can only happen once or twice a year, companies can find small ways to reward employees more frequently. Bonus is an option.

A typical performance bonus can be about 3% of the company’s total annual income based on productivity and is often more feasible at an indefinite time when employers are reluctant to offer a more permanent larger increase, Whitney said.

“Also, sometimes it seems trivial to employees because they get a small amount for each pay period, while a bonus tends to be bigger and more effective,” he said.

Close the skill gap

Skill gaps can also create inequalities in the workplace. High-value skilled workers are more likely to feel satisfied, listen, and be financially compensated, meaning companies should look for ways to close the skills gap between the workforce population (e.g., gender and age) through improved investment.

“Companies are benefiting from an upskilling dividend because they are facing an uncertain economy,” Sethi said. “Retaining the right talented people and honing their skills can help them survive today’s challenges and drive competitive advantage in the future.

“At our own firm, we’ve launched a new strategy around people called ‘My +’, where we’ll invest for you and build your skills – whether those skills are for PwC or any of our clients,” says Sethi. “People don’t want to be with one company forever. They want to experience and travel.

“It’s great if they’re 20 or 25 years old and have a general manager or a CIO,” Sethi said. “But many companies are not designing for it.”

Instead, company employees should be fired for staying three to seven years. And, that includes proper onboarding and training – a key to retaining employees.

“A company needs to plan to reduce and replenish its workforce,” Sethi said. “Today’s employees have a choice. If you provide good onboarding and training, the young workers will learn when you go to work for Farm X, they will make you a more attractive candidate in the future. ”