What drives tech professionals out of their current jobs, and how can managers retain their best talent before they walk out the door?
While the reasons for leaving a job can vary wildly from worker to worker, CompTIA’s latest Job Seeker Trends (based on a survey of 1,000 job seekers in the U.S.) suggests a handful of common reasons, including:
- Financial situation changed
- Values or life priorities changed
- Stuck in a rut and wanting something new
- Burnout or stress
- Unhappy with current career trajectory
For managers and team leaders, there’s a hint of good news in here: you can do something about most of these issues. For example, if you have tech professionals on your team who feel stuck in a career rut, giving them interesting projects or more of a say in strategy can quickly improve morale. Rebalancing schedules and workloads can help alleviate burnout and stress, as can giving tech pros a renewed sense of mission. (While burnout is frequently tied to working hours, it can also result from an employee feeling bored or unsure about their place within an organization.)
On a tactical level, offering perks and benefits such as a more flexible schedule can boost your team’s retention. You never want to wait until a situation (and a team member’s unhappiness) goes critical; communicate early and often with everyone on your team, with an emphasis on feedback and a positive, honest breakdown of what’s working (and what’s not). Empathy, kindness, and overcommunication can translate into positive results.
As you progress on your leadership journey, you’ll also need to take into account how a variety of factors, from DEIB initiatives to a company’s plans for long-term employee skill development, can all impact your team’s ultimate results. In addition to effective communication, the best leaders have a solid sense of self-awareness; they know how their words and actions can impact teams, and they’ll adjust more quickly to compensate for critical weaknesses.
