Did you know different demographics of tech talent are demanding different things? 

With the talent market in such a turbulent state, knowing what people want is more important than ever - but without being a mind reader, how do we actually know what people are after? 

Lucky for you we’re back with our 2023 Candidate Motivator Report! 

It’s safe to say there’s been a few changes since last year. 

With good pay cheques dropping down from the number one to number three spot (and less than half of our respondents even putting it in their top five), things certainly aren’t what they used to be. 

In fact, we noticed that what motivates people in the workplace can differ according to a number of factors - one of these being generation. 

Think about it - you wouldn’t purchase the same birthday gift for your 18 year old nephew and your 90 year old grandmother (or maybe you would, we’re not here to judge grandma’s style), so why would different generations be after the same benefits at work? 

People’s priorities and preferences can differ, even at work. Let’s deep dive into what makes each generation of tech talent tick. 

 

Gen Z 

No matter what generation we surveyed, flexible working came out on top for almost all of them. 

Honestly, this didn’t surprise us. 

When it comes to Gen Z, they’re no different to the other generations in wanting to have a good work-life balance, but how they choose to use that free time is where things are different. 

How do we know this? Career progression, or rather a lack of it. Where last year it shared the number one spot, this year it’s completely dropped off the radar. It seems Gen Z are less worried about making it to the top and more focused on creating multiple streams of income. With the cost of everything rising at the moment, Gen Z are taking matters into their own hands and “boldy embracing multiple income streams as a means to stay afloat financially”. Those streaming subscriptions and iced lattes aren’t going to pay for themselves. 

Millennials 

Like we mentioned before, having an attractive salary has really taken a hit this year. Where last year 66% of millennials were chasing that paper train, this year that driver has dropped down to 33% (even in this economy)! 

Instead, millennials are more focused on prioritising what we call hygiene factors (work-life balance, flexible working (44.51%)) and motivators (career progression opportunities (44.51%)). 

As well as having a good work-life balance, millennials are also more focused on keeping up to date with demands and trends over the next 12 months. With things changing and evolving so rapidly within the business and technology industries, it’s no wonder their focus has been pulled in a different direction. Millennials are ready  to embrace this change! 

Gen X   

While Gen X did rank having an attractive salary higher than any other generation surveyed (54.95%), it still didn’t make it to the top spot. 

Once again, flexible working (58.24%) found its way in as the number one driver. In fact, they came out as the generation the most concerned about ensuring they have that work-life balance. 

Gen X also threw us an interesting curveball by being only one of two generations (the other being Baby Boomers) to want a company with strong leadership and management (41.76%). On reflection, as the generation who tend to be the leaders in the workplace, this driver doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. 

This generation is also on the lookout for a company that is financially healthy (37.36%). If they’re in the market for a new role, Gen X are likely looking to stick around (which is great for lowering turnover rates). They’ve also probably got the years of experience to back it up - they want to get paid and keep getting paid. 

Baby Boomers 

Switching things up a little, the Baby Boomers were the only generation to not put work-life balance at the top of their list (though it did come in a very close second at 53.63%). 

Sitting at the number one spot for Baby Boomers is …… working for a company that is financially healthy (55.26%) 

In what is quite a turbulent time, it’s interesting to see a generation place such a high importance on company stability through financial reporting. That being said, as a generation with more senior members of our community, it may be that there is a stronger financial focus than others as they begin to think about life after work. 

Speaking Across Generations 

Breaking down this year's findings by generation certainly proved interesting. While there is a clear consistent message that most are looking for a life outside of work and focusing on work-life balance and flexible working arrangements, there are a few curveballs to look out for depending on your target candidate. 

Want to get the full breakdown and nitty gritty details of what candidates are currently wanting? Click here to download our 2023 Candidate Motivators report to discover exactly what is driving the market’s tech talent to stay, strive or switch roles in the next twelve months.