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How can employers best retain their increasingly disgruntled tech talent?

ended 25. October 2024

A journalist is writing a piece for Computer Weekly - and wants to know: how can employers best retain their increasingly disgruntled tech talent?

She would like to speak to tech and HR leaders and other tech talent experts, including recruiters and academics, about what employers can do to re-engage and, ultimately, retain their tech talent.

A report by Harvey Nash recently revealed that half of UK tech workers are thinking about quitting in the next 12 months. Another by Ivanti indicated IT professionals were 1.4 times more likely to "quiet quit' than other knowledge workers. To make matters worse, Gartner recently revealed that despite organisations pouring loads of money into everything from benefits and flexible working to boost their employer brand proposition, employees don't believe the reality meets the promise - which doesn't help either engagement or retention levels.

So, what is going so wrong here at what seems to be a number of levels? And what is the best way to try and re-engage tech staff who are either fed up or feel the grass is greener elsewhere?

She's looking to interview qualified people - first step: answer the questions briefly in the thread if you're interested in being interviewed.

6 responses from the Newspage community

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Cheney HamiltonVerified
CEO at The Find Your Flex Group
Many tech professionals feel disconnected from their employers, despite investments in perks and benefits. So, where are companies missing the mark—and how can they re-engage tech talent tempted to leave?

Prioritize Outcomes, Not Hours: Tech teams value problem-solving over clocking in. An outcome-based approach lets them focus on impactful work without micromanagement.

Transparent Career Growth: Tech employees need clear paths for advancement and continuous upskilling to stay engaged and motivated.

Authentic Mission and Purpose: When a company’s mission is embedded in daily work, tech professionals feel connected to something bigger.

Regular Listening: Act on employee feedback to foster a culture where tech staff feel valued and impactful.

If you’d like to discuss how these points can boost retention, I’d be happy to chat more!
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Cornelia Lucey0
There is a current crisis of engagement of professionals in the workplace, and the tech sector is a key sufferer in this regard. What I know from my published research into positive leadership - how to lead yourself and others in a way that brings the best out of you, those you lead, and the stakeholders around you - is that there are a key number of retention and positive leadership practices that we are ignoring at our peril. This is echoed in our experience of working with 100s of organisations inlcuding key disruptors in tech. One of the key set of resources that is being ignored is what we call creating a "Tribe". This is all about connection, building high quality connections and having positive conflict. This is a particular issue in the tech sector because leaders in this space sterotypically have analytical, detail and task-orientated approaches to managers and leadership, but what we know from research into positive leadership is that employees need a relational approach.
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Amelia Brooke0
Career Coach & Certified CV Writer at Amelia Brooke Career Vision
I don’t think this is the fault of the tech staff. A big part of the problem stems from a lack of understanding about the skillsets of tech staff, which becomes glaringly obvious in some of the job advertisements out there. For instance, a position might advertise for a front-end developer, but the listed requirements extend far beyond front-end work, covering everything from full-stack responsibilities to niche skills well outside the typical scope of the role.

The problem starts with talent acquisition teams and hiring managers who lack the understanding of the skills they actually need for each role. Rather than casting an overly broad net in search of an 'all-in-one' tech candidate, they should focus on specific skills that align with real project needs. This approach not only makes roles more attainable and realistic for qualified candidates but also signals to tech staff that the organisation values their skills.
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Cara Cunniff0
Emotional Culture Consultant at ThriveWell Global
Perks like free snacks and game rooms won’t retain tech talent if they don’t feel connected or valued. When tech employees aren’t heard and culture feels imposed from the top, it’s no wonder they look for better opportunities.
Reingagement guidance:
1. Ask, “How Do You Want to Feel to Succeed?”
Re-engagement starts by mapping emotional culture. Ask your team what emotions help them succeed and what they want to avoid. These insights allow you to shape a culture that truly resonates.
2. Make Empathy a Leadership Priority
Leaders who connect emotionally make teams feel understood. Mapping emotional culture helps leaders identify what their teams need to feel supported, creating loyalty and engagement.
3. Let Teams Shape Their Culture
Co-created cultures have staying power. When tech teams help define the emotional landscape, they feel ownership and connection. This isn’t just “company culture”—it’s their culture, keeping them committed.
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Rebecca Seeley Harris0
CEO at Re Legal Consulting
Retaining tech talent also applies to those businesses that want to engage specialist IT consultants off-payroll. This has become increasingly difficult because of the off-payroll working rules (IR35). Part of the problem is some of the tech talent is engaged 'inside IR35' which is a very unsatisfactory quasi-employed position with zero employment rights.
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Naomi Butters0
Co-Founder and CEO at ICENA
Tech talent retention requires more than perks—employers must address the gap between promises & reality. Tech employees often feel undervalued or burned out, even in flexible environments. Beyond benefits, meaningful career development, mentoring, and leadership pathways foster loyalty.
A culture of respect, inclusion & work-life balance is key to ensuring employees feel valued. Employers must prioritise mental health, resilience training, and proactive support to reduce burnout and attrition.
In male-dominated industries, creating a safe and inclusive environment is critical for retaining women & underrepresented groups. Addressing sexual harassment & discrimination must be part of broader efforts to build a positive culture. Robust policies, harassment prevention training and clear reporting processes are vital for fostering respectful environments where all employees can thrive.
Ultimately, retention is about creating an authentic, supportive workplace, not just offering benefits.