Less than a quarter of young Irish tech workers surveyed said their current job is better than they expected.
A European report that looked at how young tech workers are faring in their careers revealed that many are feeling disillusioned and insecure in their current jobs.
The Young Generation in Tech report surveyed 2,005 people aged between 20 and 30 across Europe during July and August – including 205 from Ireland. The report was published today (4 October) by HiBob and Eight Roads.
The survey participants were asked for their views on topics such as job security, job satisfaction and things that might encourage them to stay in their current positions for longer.
The sample included both technical and non-technical roles in different tech sectors across engineering and product management, marketing, sales, operations and C-suite positions.
It’s worth noting that Ireland had a smaller proportion of respondents (10pc) than the other countries. The Netherlands, the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Sweden all had 300 respondents (15pc).
Overall, more than a third (35pc) of those surveyed said they were dissatisfied with their role, while 54pc said they planned to completely change career plan.
The report indicated that poor job satisfaction across the board was a factor in these responses, as was growing insecurity about layoffs amid the economic downturn. Last week, it was reported that Meta is freezing its hiring plans and could cut jobs, in the latest of similar tech sector moves.
The Young Generation in Tech report found that 30pc of young Europeans described their current role as falling below their expectations. For the Irish respondents, only 23pc said their job is better than they expected it to be.
Overall, the report also found that feelings of dissatisfaction and disillusionment were the most pronounced in the youngest cohort of 20 to 25-year-olds.
Scope for future improvement
However, the survey also provided constructive feedback about what these young workers want from employers.
The measures that would encourage dissatisfied employees to stay in their roles included better career progression, which was cited by 37pc of respondents, an increase in salary (34pc) and a contract that protected them against layoffs (18pc).
Young people have high standards for prospective employers, according to another recent survey, looking for high pay and job security. How else can employers attract and retain talent?
Ireland and the other countries in the Young Generation in Tech report could perhaps learn from France and Germany, which saw the highest reported levels of job satisfaction among young tech workers.
Almost a third (30pc) of German workers ranked their experience at work at a nine or 10, while 57pc of French workers scored it at between seven and eight out of 10. In Germany, 80pc of young people also said their work-life balance was just right or better than expected.
This may be attributed to Germany offering the widest range of working hours and flexible working models compared to other countries surveyed. It also may be indicative of why three-quarters of German workers plan to remain in their jobs for the rest of 2022 or the foreseeable future.
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