KUALA LUMPUR (March 10): IT workers are more inclined to quit their jobs than employees in other functions, with a 10.2% lower intent to stay than non-IT employees.

In a poll released on Wednesday (March 9), technology and consulting firm Gartner Inc said that globally, only 29.1% of IT workers have high intent to stay with their current employer, but the number is much lower in Asia (19.6%), Australia and New Zealand (23.6%), and Latin America (26.9%).

Gartner said it surveyed 18,000 employees globally in the fourth quarter of 2021 (4Q21), including 1,755 employees in the IT function.

It said responses were collected monthly across 40 different countries in 15 languages.

Gartner vice president and distinguished analyst Graham Waller said that while talent retention is a common C-level concern, chief information officers (CIOs) are at the epicenter, with a huge chunk of their workforce at risk.

“We’ve heard of IT organisations implementing back-to-the-office policies only to face mass resignations and have to reverse course.

“CIOs may need to advocate for more flexibility in work design than the rest of the enterprise, as IT employees are more likely to leave, in greater demand and more adept at remote working than most other employees,” he said.

Gartner said the IT talent retention challenge varies by age group and region.

For example, IT workers aged under 30 report two and a half times less likelihood of staying than those over 50, it noted.

Only 19.9% of IT workers who are 18 to 29 have a high likelihood to stay, compared to 48.1% of those aged 50-70 years.

Gartner said data showed that more flexible and human-centric work policies can reduce attrition and increase performance.

In a 2021 Gartner survey of 3,000 employees across a wide range of industries, functions and geographies, 65% of IT employees said that whether they can work flexibly will impact their decision to stay at an organisation.