Only One in Five Tech Workers say Their Company Delivers Clear Career Progression

Tech workers’ long-term career ambitions are not being supported by their employers, according to new research by CWJobs. Only one in five (19%) say their company is delivering clear career progression, despite nearly two thirds (63%) saying they are more future focused than ever.

The research, which surveyed over 1,000 tech workers and 500 IT decision makers (ITDMs), examined the additional support workers want from their employer to further their career. The top five includes:

• Training opportunities (51%)
• Professional qualifications (38%)
• Career coaching (36%)
• Regular feedback from leadership (34%)
• Annual reviews (31%)

Overall, four in five (78%) of respondents agreed potential for career development is important to them. This longer-term mindset also appears to be influencing the rewards and benefits employees would like from their employer, with the research revealing competitive pensions (30%) and regular technology training (27%) are more sought-after than short-term perks like free food (13%) and social events (11%).

In a competitive jobs market, the consequences of not keeping pace with tech workers’ career aspirations is significant. Over half (57%) of tech leaders surveyed said their company has lost out on top tech talent because they have failed to keep up with industry demands, and almost two thirds (64%) said this had a detrimental impact on company performance.

The Communication Gap

The research found that, overall, nearly a third (32%) of workers say their employer is not delivering what workers really want. This may not be a huge surprise when only 30% of tech leaders are gathering feedback and ideas to decide on what benefits to offer employees. Of those that do consult employees, 37% only do so on an annual basis. Tech workers see this as a key point for improvement for their employers – 42% say listening more closely to what the workforce really wants is important in retaining talent.

Dominic Harvey, Director at CWJobs said: “After an intense period of upheaval and opportunity for reflection, the expectations tech workers have from their employer have fundamentally changed. They are more ambitious and future focused than pre-pandemic, and they want more support from their employer to make sure they are set up for long-term success. Two-way employee communications have become critical – both to help companies understand the fast-evolving needs of the workforce, and to give tech workers the career direction they are looking for.”