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3 ways to keep top tech talent

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Three Ways to Keep Top Tech Talent

We spoke to technology professionals across the US and UK to uncover what they expect from their career — and to help employers navigate how to keep and grow them into future leaders.

1. Reduce short-term thinking with a long-term outlook

As demand for tech talent grows, top performers are finding themselves in high demand leading many to consider different opportunities.

54% of tech workers are now planning their careers in terms of months, not years.

  • 75% say better opportunities created by the talent shortage could make them look elsewhere
  • 72% say hybrid and remote work have made it much easier to change employers
  • 57% are actively considering changing their career

To re-engage employees, tech leaders should:

  • Encourage employees to actively participate in shaping their career journey
  • Continually assess the skills required and provide training to support this
  • Develop assessment tools to ensure employees get timely feedback

Lack of clarity around promotions leads to disengagement

66% of tech workers believe they must go beyond their role's responsibilities to secure a promotion yet 47% of them say they refuse to work harder until they receive a promotion.

2. Mend fractured cultures with blended learning

Hybrid and remote work have made the workday more flexible, but they have also led to growing resentment, disconnection and heavier day-to-day workload.

49% say that the psychological contract between leader and employee has suffered.

Culture is at a crossroads:

  • 62% are working longer hours than they thought they would when they joined
  • 49% are considering leaving their role because the job isn’t what they signed up for
  • 58% resent having to accommodate their colleagues’ flexibility demands

Now is the time to be hyper-focused on culture:

  • Earn the trust of employees by making good on commitments to their wellbeing and growth
  • Find ways to blend development opportunities into remote and hybrid work every day
  • Give employees space and time to grow outside of work, reducing burnout

3. Close the success gap by moving up Millennials

The Baby Boomer generation is retiring and Gen X is surprisingly close behind, but their successors are feeling unsupported and unmotivated.

45% of Gen X tech professionals tell us they are actively considering early retirement, while 59% of their Millennial successors agree with the statement, “I feel burnt out.”

According to Millennials:

  • 88% say the talent crisis is increasing the level of pressure at work on their generation
  • 65% say they lack faith that hard work and loyalty to an employer will give them the future they want
  • 47% admit to quiet quitting

To prepare tech leaders for their next roles, offer customizable learning and development programs that engage, motivate and meet their specific needs:

  • Offer tailored training on people management to mid-career employees
  • Help millennials develop the soft skills to influence the broader organization over the long-term
  • Encourage emerging leaders to work with a range of existing, and newly formed, teams to grow collaboration

Are you ready to move your tech talent towards tomorrow's competitive edge?

Read our eBook to learn how you can create a progressive employee experience that retains, engages and grows your tech talent.

Korn Ferry Career

Gain a competitive edge by upskilling and reskilling your technology workforce

Learn more

In today's market, top tech talent is hard to come by. We spoke to technology professionals across the US and UK to identify ways to attract and keep the talent that is key to your long-term success. Talk to us today to learn more about:

  • The biggest challenges for tech leaders in preparing for an unpredictable future of work
  • Insights on how today's tech talent is career planning
  • How to keep top tech talent engaged and growing alongside the organization.

Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your tech talent? Download the eBook or get in touch.

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