2012 Tech Salary Wrap-Up: Winners, Losers and What Really Matters — Retention
Posted April 10th, 2013
The good news is that the tech industry saw an average 5% increase in salaries in 2012, after years of relatively flat wages. But an average is just that – average. Digging behind the numbers, there were some very clear – and unexpected – winners and losers when it comes to compensation. The greatest gains went to network managers, who posted a more-than-double-the-average gain of 11.2%. Help desk workers were close behind, with a nearly 10% overall pay raise – thanks at least in part to the repatriation of some formerly offshored jobs. Coming up short in the salary shift were business analysts, who saw a mere 3.4% increase – a surprising result, given the intense industry buzz about Big Data. Also lagging behind were database and systems developers, which some experts attribute to a continuing trend of enterprises making the move from in-house computing professionals to cloud-based resources.
But it’s not all about dollars and cents. Tech Target’s 2012 annual salary survey also took a look at what actually makes IT employees happy and loyal to their current workplace – since only 8% of the survey respondents cited salary as their main reason for staying put. For organizations that can’t compete with the top industry players money-wise, focusing on these other factors might help you get ahead – or at least hold your ground – in the race to attract and retain top technical talent.
Intellectual challenge. No matter how much money they are raking in, most talented IT professionals will head for the door if work is a boring grind. In fact, a whopping 32% of the IT folks surveyed said that a job that makes them think is a job that will make them stay.
Positive Environment. For 20% of the survey respondents, the key factor for job satisfaction was having a pleasant working environment and enjoyable co-workers. Investing in good office design and screening for cultural fit during the hiring process can help create this coveted condition.
Flexibility. 14% cited flexible work schedules as the main thing that keeps them happy on the job. With work-life balance and quality of life being huge issues for today’s top IT professionals, accommodations such as working from home or allowing altered work hours to avoid rush hour can be a huge carrot to dangle.
Company Stability. For 10% of the survey respondents, peace of mind was the reason they stay with a job. Says one blissfully secure employee, “I work in higher education, so there is no chance of a buyout or restructuring that leads to job loss.”
Whether you are looking for a technology job, or looking to hire, Bayside Solutions can help you navigate the constantly shifting, Bay Area IT job market. Whether it’s contract, contract-to-hire or direct placement, our technical staffing specialists will match the right person with the right job, every time. Contact us today to learn more.
