Compensation (39%), job security (37%) and flexibility (32%) are the factors most valued by technological profiles to remain in their company, according to data from the latest analysis Global Benefits Attitudes Survey, conducted by Willis Towers Watson among 35,549 employees in 23 countries. These are followed by the opportunity to learn new skills (25%), relationship with coworkers (25%), purpose (25%), and professional development.
Regarding the attraction of talent, practically the same levers coincide. The most valued by professionals in the Information Technology and Telecommunications sector when changing jobs is salary (48%), security (35%) and labor flexibility (31%), followed by development career (28%), health benefits (25%), opportunity to learn new skills (24%), and purpose (24%).
If we look at the generation gap, the study shows that job security is a less important issue for the group of professionals belonging to Generation Z, who are more prone to salary, which appears as the main retention criterion, according to the WTW research. Likewise, younger generations focus more on career advancements and acquiring new skills, while flexible work (understood as part of teleworking) is seen as highly relevant from Generation X to Z, well ahead of other types of benefits such as retirement or health insurance.
As explained by Ana Arnau, director of Compensation and Talent at WTW, “the opportunity to learn new skills is considered important only by Gen Z, and it doesn’t even rank high on their list of preferences. In a context in which Learning Agility, reskilling is going to be essential to maintain employability and face competition with Artificial Intelligence, it seems that the message has not yet penetrated the population”.
Frequent practices to attract and retain critical talent
WTW has also analyzed the actions that companies are carrying out to attract and retain critical talent, which includes technological profiles. According to the data of the report 2022 Inflation and Reward Actions Pulse Survey, in relation to compensation, to attract younger talent, 85% of the companies surveyed say they offer competitive entry salaries, above the market. Likewise, more than 80% of the companies are increasing labor flexibility and 57% are offering greater access to training and development opportunities, in order to maintain their competitiveness in the labor market.