Software Devs Want More Than a Paycheck
Photo by Gabriel Izgi on Unsplash
ITPro conducts an annual salary survey of IT professionals in the US. This year (2024) there is one surprising revelation about what employees want.
Topping out the list of What Matters Most about an IT professional’s job is work-life balance.
“It’s not the fact that work-life balance is important. It’s crucial.
We need to explore why and how this metric is above pay and benefits for those working in the IT sector.
I think it tells us something crucial about attitudes to work, and the changing nature of software developers.”
What Matter Most
Here is a rather beautiful graph representing what matters most for IT workers.
Monetary rewards have always been an important part of working as a software developer, yet The Secret Developer thinks it is a big deal that base pay doesn’t head up the list for what matters in a job.
“I like to get paid for my work, so I can afford door contact sensors for doors that only I open.
Yet work-life balance is really important and let me tell you why.
When I worked for Revolut they wanted all of the person. I think you would not survive if you didn’t work an extra 20 hours a week. That means that there is no time for extra coding tasks.
If you don’t have time to learn more as a software developer you end up going backwards. You can’t keep yourself up-to-date and employable if you’re unable to learn more (and when you learn more you earn more).
That’s the thing when work-life balance is poor. It isn’t just having time to play Resident Evil Village (I’ll get you Heisenberg), it’s about your coding life and improving your software developer self.
I think that’s what hardcode software developers think about.”
The Truth Comes Out: Why Software Devs Change Job
Software developers are motivated to some extent by money. If we look at why any given software developer would like to switch jobs we see the top reason is higher compensation. Although software developers are interested in work-life balance it does seem that compensation is incredibly important in the profession. It seems the truth is that software developers are motivated by money primarily.
“The data does not say that. Of those professionals seeking new employment, the top reason is higher compensation.
This is a self-selecting group of developers who are already dissatisfied in some respect or another. It is likely if you are working a job with few opportunities that job will also have limited compensation and benefits.
Software developers are a complex bunch, as you can see from this data. If you look at the next few items on the list: seeking more personal fulfilment, disliking the culture, and more interesting work you get a more rounded picture of what software developers want.
I’d actually say that I’m looking at a basket of reasons for a change. Sure I don’t want to give up salary or benefits but there are a host of reasons for my dissatisfaction.”
The Changing Nature of Software Developers
So many software developers put a premium on work-life balance that it makes sense that they will consider taking a job simply because it allows more time for well-being and personal obligations.
The Secret Developer does not claim this is something new but says this is about the changing attitudes to work.
“I know people whose attitudes have changed since the pandemic (2020, if you’ve forgotten).
People treasure spending time with their dog/kids or whatever and don’t want to lose it.
To some extent I get it. Our work should be meaningful and important to us. However, I still think that we need people who actully like coding, and those in software development are still in the minority. I guess people used to choose coding for the $$$, and now with constant layoffs some are looking for the easy ride.
I think we should have an interview process that is weighted to employ those of us who actually love what they do. That will get rid of the wrong people who are in IT.
I’m guessing AI will wipe out those who don’t care. I’m all for it. Bring on the layoffs and let IT come back to those who want to be here.”
Conclusion
In this article, The Secret Developer has attempted to dissect what IT professionals want and why coming to the conclusion that “the wrong people are in IT”.
Do you agree or not? Let us know in the comments.