In today’s highly digitalised economy, technology is at every touchpoint in our lives.
From organising our schedules to ordering food and groceries, every task is just a swipe away. It’s no wonder that labour sentiments toward the information and communications technology (ICT) sector remain highly positive.
As tech workers’ expectations of their workplaces and employers continue to evolve, how can employers retain their best workers in an intensely competitive environment?
Our 2022 global technology employer brand report has captured workforce sentiments in the ICT sector and the key employee value proposition (EVP) factors that tech professionals look for in ideal employers.
why should tech companies care about employer branding?
Talent scarcity remains one of the most pressing issues for companies looking to drive their digital transformation strategies in a post-pandemic landscape.
Given the intense competition for limited talent, companies must differentiate themselves from one another to attract prized talent - who not only have the skills they seek but share similar values as the organisation.
To be perceived as an attractive employer, it is more important than ever for employers to highlight their unique employer brand using empowering messages to engage skilled and driven tech workers.
Companies will need to develop a strong, positive brand message that clearly illustrates what the organisation can offer and what the company culture is like. The first step is to effectively communicate the company’s value proposition, which is integral to the overall talent attraction strategy.
By promoting their company’s existing employee benefits and organisational culture through digital platforms, employers can create greater employer brand awareness and attract more job seekers and professionals.
job switchers increased from 10% to 14%
Although long-term job security is an important EVP in the technology industry, companies have found it challenging to retain employees. Job-switching behaviour among tech professionals has increased from 10% in 2021 to 14% in 2022.
By extension, 22% of tech professionals plan to change jobs in the first half of 2022, a 5% increase from the previous year.
Tech employees’ increasing appetite to change jobs stems from their growing desire to maintain a good work-life balance, along with their ability to choose jobs they truly want - given how high in demand tech talent is. This is why it’s critical for employers to build an effective employee engagement strategy - not simply for talent attraction but employee retention.
Employers may want to consider offering qualitative opportunities to improve work-life balance, and reward high-performance and tenured employees to recognise their great work and reassure them of their job security. This will help companies in reducing employee turnover rates and increasing their ability to attract new talent.
employee value propositions that matter to tech workers
When asked to rank a list of value propositions tech professionals look for in an ideal employer, the following EVPs are ranked as being the most important:
- salary and benefits
- work-life balance
- long-term job security
For tech professionals, salary and benefits (62%) ranked as the highest EVP factor, followed by work-life balance (60%) and long-term job security (58%).
There are some clear differentiations when we look at the various specialisations within the ICT sector. While having attractive salaries and benefits are most appealing to technicians and development and networking specialists, having a good work-life balance is more important to business and administration professionals.
Technicians also ranked having long-term job security as being more important than having a good work-life balance.
A point of interest is the disparity between what tech professionals value most and how well their current employer delivers on these employee value propositions (EVPs).
Salary and benefits is an important value proposition for all three ICT sub-groups. However, among the top ten most important EVPs, workers in the ICT sector rank their employer's compensation packages near the bottom.
As competition for specific technology skills remains high, employers risk having higher turnover rates if they don’t meet worker expectations for competitive salaries and benefits. Partnering with recruitment agencies like Randstad is one of the best ways to learn what the market average is paying for a role. Our specialised recruiters conduct regular market research and connect with companies and hiring managers to monitor job market trends that would be useful for your workforce planning.
Work-life balance is a critical EVP factor in attracting and retaining talent in the technology sector.
Since ICT workers value their work-life balance, employers need to carefully consider how they can support their employees, whether through offering flexible working schedules or specialised leave days so employees can rest and recharge. Employers need to communicate this support clearly to prospective employees through their employer branding strategy if they want to attract stellar IT talent.
employees’ top unmet need is work-life balance
Although an attractive salary and benefits was ranked as the top incentive for tech professionals, a good work-life balance is equally important for them.
When looking to improve their own work-life balance, the top two actions ICT workers took were working more remotely (36%) and working more flexible time slots (35%). This is in line with what the ICT workforce wants from employers to improve their work-life balance, ranging from flexible work arrangements (47%) to employee perks such as continued education and meals (42%).
Given that tech professionals are in a prime position to choose which companies they want to work for, employers that fail to meet their expectations risk losing top talent to competitors who can offer the benefits they seek.
70% of employees expect a blend of working remotely and on-site in the future
Flexible work schedules are a new baseline expectation for employees in the new normal. Being able to work remotely not only helps people be more productive, it gives them the freedom and flexibility to work whenever and wherever they want.
70% of tech professionals expect to work both remotely and on-site in the future. Being able to manage work remotely allows IT professionals to adjust their work schedules to accommodate personal activities and home life, which explains why work flexibility is a strong talent expectation.
83% of tech professionals want their employers to offer upskilling opportunities
Despite the high expectation for training, only 67% of technology professionals felt that their employers offer enough learning and development (L&D) opportunities to grow themselves professionally.
To meet growing talent training expectations, employers need to strengthen their L&D programmes to ensure that they are relevant enough to encourage human development. Managers play an important role in upskilling their employees through on-the-job learning opportunities in addition to formal and mandatory training programmes.
Being highly involved in employees’ day-to-day responsibilities, managers tend to be more aware of the challenges that the employees face at work. This includes guiding and supporting employees in problem-solving and making independent decisions. Through undergoing various work situations, tech professionals will learn how to overcome similar challenges in the future.
Working professionals today want robust learning opportunities that will prepare them to take on more responsibilities at work and realise their true potential. Companies that showcase their comprehensive L&D roadmaps and demonstrate how employees have advanced their careers through these programmes are more likely to attract talent who are looking for similar learning opportunities to grow their careers.
download the 2022 randstad employer brand research - global ICT report.
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Our Employer Brand Research hub provides you with the latest trends, frameworks and best practices and a clear plan on how to build your employer brand to attract quality talent.
You can also reach out to our specialised recruiters to find the right talent to strengthen your technology capabilities. From blockchain consultants to Web3 developers; system analysts to infrastructure architects, our recruitment consultants are trained to communicate our clients’ employer brand and find the right talent match for your hiring requirements.