What Motivates Data Professionals to Leave or Stay in Jobs?
Hello, I'm Douglas, recovering data analyst who is now operating a data & analytics recruitment agency. The transition has given me unique insights into what drives data professionals in their careers. I've had the privilege to interview hundreds of data professionals and learn about their career motivations.
In this article, I'll share what I've found to be the top reasons that motivate data professionals to either stay or leave their jobs.
Before diving in, it is important to note that there are a few factors unique to the data industry that impact motivations to leave or stay in roles:
Specialised Skill Sets: Unique skills like machine learning and data engineering make career growth and development crucial for data professionals.
Rapid Technological Changes: The fast-paced evolution of tech in data & analytics makes access to new technologies a key factor for job satisfaction.
Management Support: The complex nature of data work requires significant support and understanding from management for job satisfaction.
With that squared away - let's get into it.
Reasons to Stay
1. Learning & Development Opportunities
One of the most significant factors that keep data professionals rooted in their jobs is the opportunity for continuous learning and development. When an individual feels like their growing, they want to continue that. The best tangible ways companies offer this includes:
Formal courses e.g. Microsoft certifications
Modern techstack or updating their outdated systems
Mentorship facilitation and programs
2. Supportive Management and Team
People don't just work for companies; they work for their teams. A collaborative, innovative, and inclusive team can make even the most challenging projects enjoyable. Our interviews showed that job satisfaction is incredibly high among professionals who feel like they're part of a top tier team. Realistically, we spend around 40 hours a week at work so the people that this time is spent with matters a lot. Managers that practice servant leadership and are invested in growing their colleagues reduces attrition.
3. Fair Market Value Compensation
Money isn't everything, but it's certainly important and silly not to mention. Data professionals who feel they're paid what they're worth are more likely to stay in their current roles. Fair market value compensation, which goes beyond just salary to include benefits and bonuses, is a significant factor for retention. The best way to find out about market salaries is to go to salary surveys or speak to a local recruiter.
Reasons to Leave
1. Career Stagnation
Perhaps the most common reason data professionals look for new opportunities is career stagnation. If they feel they're not being exposed to new technologies, challenging projects, or opportunities for growth - they're likely to feel stuck. A sense of stagnation can be a serious red flag, signaling it may be time to move on. Modern professionals are very cognizant of the fact that technology advances quickly. If they're not learning and growing with modern tools then their career prospects start to diminish.
2. Poor Compensation
At the opposite end of fair market value compensation is the scenario where professionals feel they're neither learning nor earning. Poor compensation can make any job untenable in the long term, even if other conditions are favorable.
The reality of this factor is that when one professional speaks to another in a different company and they have the same job duties...but different remuneration than the feeling of inequality is enough to encourage seeking a new job.
3. Poor Work Life Balance
It's good to be challenged. But swimming in deep waters for extended periods of time without support gets tiring. And doing this for extended hours is not sustainable. When it comes to working with data, servers are running 24/7 but that doesn't mean work is. One notable quote conversation from a Data Science Consultant recently was "I'd like to work less than 60 hours a week if possible." There are times when out of ordinary hours work is needed but if it begins to happen regularly this is often a motivating reason for professionals to look elsewhere.
Conclusion
Understanding these motivating factors is crucial for both employers and employees in the data & analytics field. For employers, it provides a roadmap for retaining top talent. For professionals, it offers a framework for evaluating job opportunities. I hope these insights, gained from industry experience and countless interviews, are valuable to you.
Please feel free to connect with me if you'd like to discuss these insights further or explore potential opportunities for collaboration. Let's continue the conversation!
