IT industry is a saturated market. A humongous amount of developers join the market every year. With hundreds of software companies and different work cultures, it is not easy to find an environment that may be well suited for developer’s personalities.

Therefore, to retain developers, a good salary is not enough anymore. Companies may have the budget to give handsome salaries, but they may lack the other requirements.

So keeping in mind what developers expect from their employers, let’s look into the major elements that affect their decision making in choosing a workplace:

1. MENTAL & PHYSICAL WELL-BEING:

Developers have a hardcore routine, with high stress levels and adrenaline rush in fast paced workplace. No matter how much salaries they earn, their mental and physical well being is the major requirements when it comes to job satisfaction.

With the disrupt of work-life balance, no employee can feel satisfied with their jobs.

However, if their employers can give way to resorts that may provide them with flexibility to care for their mental health and physical health, that can prove resourceful.

But only a small gym facility or a coffee machine with unlimited coffees is not enough. Company policies that address the mental health and well being of employees is mandatory. And internal activities that give boost to employees physical well being is also important.

2. BENEFITS:

Job benefits are the extrinsic motivational forces that drive developers to put their best foot forward.

Companies need to ensure that the benefits they provide are not a white wash.

Some of the benefits that developers look for are:

1. Gratuity, OPD, Health insurance

2. Fuel allowances, Wellness packages, Food allowance

3. Flexible hours, Hybrid Mode

4. Training and development subscriptions

U.S. News and World Report ranked software engineering as #1 in its “Best Jobs.”

3. RECOGNITION:

Among other extrinsic motivators, recognition and appreciation are the major elements that ascertain employee satisfaction. Although software engineering is one of the highly satisfied jobs in the world.

Thus, the ones who make software engineering the best job in the world, must be recognized.

External and internal recognition and appreciation can be in the form of performance appraisals, promotions, awards, raise, and much more.

4. A GOOD CULTURE:

A good culture is not the one where people are all smiley and say cool stuff. It is the one where employees’ voices are heard. When employees are given room to excel, make mistakes and learn from them and get the treatment they deserve.

A good culture is the one with no micromanagement, and a stage where employees have the flexibility to grow into their best selves.

No matter how much policies or benefits a company has, if they are not being implemented in the right manner, the company lacks the good culture. And not just policies or benefits, trainings of leadership, executives, and even interns is necessary to ensure a good culture.

5. GROWTH & LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:

Do you want to stay at a place where there is nothing new to learn or no challenge? Certainly not. You would always tend to choose a platform where you can groom personally and professionally. Whether it is a new certification, or a soft skills training program, it is mandatory to deliver it when a developer (employee) requires. The skill sets of employees must be enhanced with mutual cooperation and collaboration. Without a future, no one wants to stay at an organization.

6. MARKET COMPETITIVE SALARY:

Now comes the major segment of any job. Salary which is market competitive is necessary to pertain to developers. As we see that turnover rates are much greater in software companies than any other industry. Salary is the major driving force behind that. However, our debate is the inclusion of all other motivators that polish the work-life of developers.

FINAL WORD:

Therefore, a workplace which provides a market competitive salary along with benefits, recognition, mental and physical well being, good culture and growth and learning opportunities will attract top developers to any organization.

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