BIG TECH COMPANIES are falling out of favour with Irish IT workers who say they would rather ply their trade with startups and small businesses.
A survey of IT professionals found 45% of employees in the sector were keen to jump ship to a SME (Small or Medium Enterprise) or a startup, but only 15% would rather work for a multinational.
The lastest poll, from Brightwater Recruitment, reversed the trend from last year, when 35% of people surveyed favoured a big business move.
But those surveyed were a restless bunch – over 59% said they were already looking for a new job or planned to go on the hunt within 12 months.
Salary and benefit packages was the biggest driver of IT workers’ job decisions, closely followed by the chance to work on interesting projects and in a challenging work environment.
Apparently Dublin is no California
Brightwater IT division manager High McCarthy said the overall message from the survey was positive and most workers thought both job opportunities and pay packets were improving.
“While salaries in IT in Ireland are not yet at the levels being paid in California or London for example, there may be a danger as rates push upwards we may become less competitive and therefore more likely to lose potential jobs to other countries,” he said.
“Companies are faced with the challenge of attracting and retaining the people they need in the organisation, while adhering to tight budgets.”
In a bid to build staff loyalty, some multinationals like Google have built workplace cultures around perks like free haircuts, lounges, ping-pong tables and swimming pools.
Meanwhile, Central Statistics Office figures released this week showed workers in the information and communication sectors had the biggest average earnings rises of any group over the last four years.
Software developers’ comments revealed many weren’t worried about taking a risk on a startup company as they thought their skills meant they could easily shift to another job if things didn’t work out.
McCarthy said the draw towards startups for developers came from the companies’ perceived flexibility and innovation.
“In contrast, the majority of project managers, creative and infrastructure professionals had a preference for employment in a multinational organisation,” he said.
“This may relate to a perception of security or more international opportunity for advancement.”
READ: Google adds death benefits to list of ‘perks’ … what else do employees get?
READ: 11 examples of people really, really enjoying their job
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say