Programmers: happy with their jobs, unhappy with their pay

According to new research from Randstad Technologies, a specialist recruitment company, less than half of those working in the IT and technology industry in the United Kingdom are happy with their levels of pay. By contrast, however, 60% appear to be quite happy with their jobs despite of this. Interestingly, that 60% figure is lower than the national average of 61% across the entire UK workforce whereas the number happy with their pay (47%) is higher than the national average (43%). If you want to be really happy, if you believe the statistics, then perhaps you should quit tech and go work in the utilities sector (96% job satisfaction there) and if you want to be happiest about the money you get paid then go work in insurance (90% happiness rating).

Mike Beresford, Managing Director of Randstad Technologies, says: "In 2011 and 2012 the number one priority for people was job security – now it’s salaries and benefits. Tech employees certainly aren’t the least happy in the UK, but employers must redouble their efforts if they are to attract and hold on to skilled employees as the sector grows. For instance, roles in IT infrastructure are expected to see a 10% increase in salary. However, that’s only half the battle. Last year Tech employees felt they were working the equivalent of one and a half jobs, and it’s clear teams are still as lean as possible. While cost is still a concern, the best employers make sure employees don’t feel stretched to breaking point. Workload management, alongside professional development, should be high on an employer’s agenda for maintaining morale."

[jwenting]

employers must redouble their efforts if they are to attract and hold on to skilled employees as the sector grows

which it doesn't, hence employers have no incentive to increase pay and benefits as employees aren't going to voluntarilly pack up and switch jobs in a playing field where the differences in pay between companies are marginal at best and a switch would be bad for your job security.

Last year Tech employees felt they were working the equivalent of one and a half jobs, and it’s clear teams are still as lean as possible.

so what else is new? Death marches, midnight marathons, and understaffed teams have been a constant in the software development industry for decades, at different points either for lack of potential hirees, lack of funding, or both.

Workload management, alongside professional development, should be high on an employer’s agenda for maintaining morale

and recognition... All too often programmers end up being blamed for every failure and problem in a company, but get no praise when things go right, that instead being showered on sales, marketing, and management.

Just a thought Davey, I'm all for graphics to show info, but I must admit that the pie chart is somewhat difficult to decipher. While I understand that this graphic is probably not your own - your own would surely ensure that it was accessible to those of limited vision / colour-vision, your article could have done with a better data visualisation. Even a top-10 ordered data table would have been better IMO. Not rubbishing the article you understand - I found the text very informative - just the graphic left me wondering what was going on.

Anyway,

Pay BAD, Work / Enjoyment GOOD. That's interesting as my sector (education) would probably show the opposite - Pay GOOD, Work / Enjoyment BAD (although Pay is a major issue at the MO - so may be BAD - BAD!). IT/Tech workers don't seem to be set upon by the increasing demands for "paperwork" as other sectors, they seem to be left to "get on with it". Would this be a fair statement? Nearly every other profession I can think of seems to have been waylayed by increasing amounts of paperwork, leading to severe job dissatisfaction. Paperwork, that everybody knows is absolutely pointless. With the IT/Tech sector still seemingly in growth compared to other sectors, why is there so little dynamism with regard to pay? Have employers banded together to decide upon threshold salaries?