What IT professionals want

It`s not about the money - so say the majority of our respondents.

As with the ITWeb Salary Survey 2001, this year`s survey has revealed that IT professionals do not consider financial reward as the most important aspect in job satisfaction. In both surveys, money did not even rate among the top three factors in job fulfilment.

[CHART]However, there has been a significant change in what IT professionals do see as being most important contributors towards job satisfaction. Last year, respondents rated holiday leave and flexible working hours, followed by respect from one`s peers, as being the most important factors contributing to job satisfaction. This is in contrast with the factors rated as being most important this year: career prospects and the challenge and responsibility of a job.

[CHART]Total compensation came in at fourth place on this year`s list of job satisfaction elements, followed closely by working environment, total compensation, technical challenge, flexible schedule, holiday leave available and health benefits. Factors the respondents rated as being least important were building shareholder value and business travel. Other factors that were not rated as being particularly important were working from home and receiving company stock or equity.

[CHART]Not surprisingly, those who received the highest salaries were most satisfied with their incomes and so were more inclined to rate factors other than base pay as being most important in overall job satisfaction.

The survey also found that the best-paid people appreciate their packages. Those who said they were "very satisfied" with their compensation package reported the highest median salary, and those who were "satisfied" reported the second best median salary.

Koulla Koshiaris, research associate at Executive Placements at Deloitte & Touche Human Capital Corporation, is not surprised by the latest Salary Survey results. As a headhunter of top IT professionals, Koshiaris knows better than most what IT professionals want.

"When we approach someone, they accept an offer based on challenge and growth - money is probably the last thing they move jobs for," she says. "This is not to say they will move for a lower salary, but the higher up you go, the less important money is."

Koshiaris says most of the IT high-flyers, already earning plenty of money, look for the next challenge. She says: "They are already paid R900 000 or R1.5 million a year, they stay in a job for a year and a half, two at most, and then ask: What next? Where else can I make a contribution?"

She adds that training and personal growth is what people value in the IT sector. "Training is an important perk - knowing their company has invested money in them and they have upgraded their skills. In IT, you have to keep growing all the time."

Org Geldenhuys, MD of Abacus Recruitment, finds that technical staff in the IT industry stay in their jobs purely because they love what they do. "Technical staff want the latest technology, flexible hours and do not want to work when and how they are told to. Management style is therefore a very important factor in their job satisfaction. Money is probably rated about third in the job satisfaction ranking of technical staff."

IT professionals traditionally change jobs more frequently than people in other industries, making retaining trained staff a major challenge for human resources professionals within the IT industry.

Annelie van Wyk, Datacentrix HR manager, says she has seen a change in the career needs of IT professionals in recent years. "The Global Village has finally reached South Africa, and IT professionals know they have to be internationally competitive," she says. "We try to provide a good atmosphere, a working culture that encourages growth, provides job security and keeps employees focused and energised."

Van Wyk says the incentives offered to Datacentrix staff include participation in a share trust scheme, international training where applicable, bonuses based on performance, and various projects to encourage health and well-being, such as sports events, medical check-ups and Smoke Enders membership.

Dudu Nyamane, HR director of IBM SA, says that in her experience, IT professionals feel most motivated by respect and recognition, with rewards such as promotions, stock options and choice overseas assignments.

For youngsters that IBM takes on through its internship programme, "just working for IBM, knowing the magnitude of the company and the broad spectrum of opportunities and training programmes that are available is a huge motivator."

But Nyamane believes it is healthy to have some staff turnover because it revitalises the company. What turnover IBM SA had last year was mostly through management initiated programmes. "It`s not retrenchment, but to revitalize our management we advised certain people to look around,` she says.

For Patrick Monyeki, chief director of IT in the Department of Home Affairs, offering 'top dollar` to retain skilled staff is not an option. "We can`t compete with industry salaries to keep these guys on our books if they are being offered, in some instances, 30 to 40% more," he says.

The department has other strategies to keep staff turnover low. "To motivate my staff I make sure I keep the environment vibrant, swap them around, let them specialise," says Monyeki. "If they stay, it`s about employability, not about earnings - it`s about making sure that you are developing and that the current job guarantees you the next job."

Colin Smith, director of Brenton Blue Consulting and strategic advisor to Meta Group, says that if companies want to motivate and retain IT staff, they will have to learn how to motivate employees as individuals.

"People are different - what motivates one person will not necessarily motivate another," says Smith. "Managers must also realise that employees are beginning to be proactive in searching for "meaning" and fulfilment in their work and in their organisations. IT specialists have the skills and the means to move on as soon as they feel their values and dignity are being compromised by organisational culture and leadership behaviour."

Smith says a typical management "crisis approach" to human capital management does not work in this environment. "Organisations should be thinking very hard about creating processes and programmes that create an environment people want to be part of," he says. "They need to introduce innovative and focused recruiting methods, performance management that focuses on strategic deliverables as well as encouraging growth and creativity. It is essential to have a corporate culture that rewards teamwork and growth, and a leadership team that is valued by the business and is passionate about its vision."