Despite improved workplace culture, tech workers still eye the door

Dive Brief:

Technology hardware and software workers are the most likely group to recommend their employers across sectors, according to an EY report published last week. Yet, many still plan to quit their jobs in the next year.
Company culture has improved year over year, according to 73% of tech workers, according to EY data. Just 7% believe workplace culture has degraded in the same timeframe.
Despite the positive signs, technology workers had some of the highest quitting intent across sectors, according to Roselyn Feinsod, principal in EY's People Consulting practice.

Dive Insight:

Technology leaders have long grappled with improving workplace culture, a powerful tool to retain employees and support their professional development.

To grasp the state of each sector's workplace health, EY produced an index based on three key categories: culture, development and rewards. Workers in the technology hardware and software sector topped the ranking among the other sectors, scoring 68 out of 100, well above the average of 55.

The disconnect between the positive depiction of the sector and the higher likelihood of quitting can be attributed, in part, to a shift in mindset among younger generations that are more open to switching jobs, Feinsod said.

But another component is the dearth of high-demand talent in some technology categories.

"If you feel like you have in-demand skills, there's a range of different opportunities," Feinsod said. "You just don't feel as tethered to your employer as you used to in the traditional age of work."

In a year's time, nearly half of technology workers expect to find a new employer as demand for IT roles shows signs of strength, a Harvey Nash report published Monday found. IT unemployment has begun to dip, and employers had over a half million active job postings in September, according to a CompTIA report earlier this month.

To respond to ongoing trends in tech talent attraction and retention, Feinsod recommends business leaders develop a clear understanding of the employment market and the health of their organizations.

CIOs can support talent retention by sharply focusing on clear internal communications, according to Eric Johnson, CIO at PagerDuty.

"Many people just want to understand that the work they're doing is meaningful to the company's success, to understand what their role is, what are they being held accountable to, and what success looks like for them," Johnson said. "Those are some foundational things."