And they’re not as mobile as you might think
Back in the late 1990s high-tech workers developed a reputation as a job-hopping, restless bunch. And while about half of them still keep an eye out for a better opportunity, according to a survey released last month, they’re more sedentary than their stereotype suggests.
Of the 3,000 workers surveyed in the IT World Canada Salary Survey 06: Insights from IT Professionals, conducted in February and March this year, the average time spent with an employer is nearly nine years, a number that’s even higher if they’re with larger employers such as banks or governments.
According to the survey, the average time spent in a single job is nearly six years. In short, job mobility is low. Even among those actively or passively looking for another job, those at larger organizations are more inclined to look within the company for the next move.
But a disparity in salary increases can lead to job dissatisfaction, which is then linked with whether someone is actively looking for a new job, according to John Pickett, vice-president and editorial director of IT World Canada, publisher of such titles as CIO Canada and ComputerWorld Canada.
“The surprises were not so much in the absolute number as perhaps in the difference in increases we were seeing,” said Pickett. “I would have to say that spells some danger in terms of satisfaction of people at the lower level.”
Pickett said one of the chief goals of the study was to provide a detailed picture of compensation. Most salary benchmarks are typically compiled from responses submitted by HR departments or other non-IT participants, and tend not to provide information about IT pay broken down in terms of function, level within the hierarchy, number of years in the profession and size of the company, he said.
Taking into account pay and bonus, IT workers in Canada earned an average of $88,000. But the study shows a wide spread of pay in relation to level within the hierarchy. IT staff earned an average of $71,000, about half of the $142,000 senior IT managers took home.
In the upper ranks, executives with the title of chief information officer took home the most pay. CIOs earned an average of $210,000 a year consisting of $153,000 in base pay and $88,000 in bonuses. Vice-presidents of IT earn an average of $177,000 a year, consisting of $143,000 in base pay and $38,000 in bonus pay. (Averages for base pay, bonus and overall pay were calculated distinctly. That’s why the average base pay and average bonus don’t add up to the average overall pay.)
This survey shows compensation data in most other surveys have put pay levels “far, far lower than what we believed them to be and, in fact, through this survey our idea of that has been borne out,” said Pickett.
While looking at compensation levels, the study also tapped into levels of satisfaction. The majority of respondents (three in four) have been given increased responsibilities over the past 12 months, but very few have received a job promotion (15 per cent) or expect to get a job promotion this year (12 per cent). Not surprisingly, the study found a correlation between longer hours and a lack of promotion with lower job satisfaction.
With 58 per cent of survey respondents saying they’re satisfied with their jobs, the highest scores among IT professionals are seen among senior managers (66 per cent) followed by IT managers (61 per cent) and IT staff (53 per cent.)
Slightly more than half of respondents (55 per cent) are satisfied with their total pay package, though almost an equal number (44 per cent) think offerings at other companies are more competitive.
The benefits that IT professionals value depends on many factors. Those who’ve been in the profession longer place more value on benefits such as health coverage, life insurance and pension while those in mid-career are more interested in flexible scheduling.
Women also want flexible scheduling, additional time off and telecommuting options, whereas men prize profit sharing, stock options and stock purchase plans.
Those working in the education sector value tuition reimbursement, health benefits and time off. Those in the government sector value health benefits, pension and life insurance. In banking, IT professionals look more for stock options and stock purchase plans. In the computer industry they value telecommutes and in manufacturing or retail, they prize the company car.
Of the 3,000 workers surveyed in the IT World Canada Salary Survey 06: Insights from IT Professionals, conducted in February and March this year, the average time spent with an employer is nearly nine years, a number that’s even higher if they’re with larger employers such as banks or governments.
According to the survey, the average time spent in a single job is nearly six years. In short, job mobility is low. Even among those actively or passively looking for another job, those at larger organizations are more inclined to look within the company for the next move.
But a disparity in salary increases can lead to job dissatisfaction, which is then linked with whether someone is actively looking for a new job, according to John Pickett, vice-president and editorial director of IT World Canada, publisher of such titles as CIO Canada and ComputerWorld Canada.
“The surprises were not so much in the absolute number as perhaps in the difference in increases we were seeing,” said Pickett. “I would have to say that spells some danger in terms of satisfaction of people at the lower level.”
Pickett said one of the chief goals of the study was to provide a detailed picture of compensation. Most salary benchmarks are typically compiled from responses submitted by HR departments or other non-IT participants, and tend not to provide information about IT pay broken down in terms of function, level within the hierarchy, number of years in the profession and size of the company, he said.
Taking into account pay and bonus, IT workers in Canada earned an average of $88,000. But the study shows a wide spread of pay in relation to level within the hierarchy. IT staff earned an average of $71,000, about half of the $142,000 senior IT managers took home.
In the upper ranks, executives with the title of chief information officer took home the most pay. CIOs earned an average of $210,000 a year consisting of $153,000 in base pay and $88,000 in bonuses. Vice-presidents of IT earn an average of $177,000 a year, consisting of $143,000 in base pay and $38,000 in bonus pay. (Averages for base pay, bonus and overall pay were calculated distinctly. That’s why the average base pay and average bonus don’t add up to the average overall pay.)
This survey shows compensation data in most other surveys have put pay levels “far, far lower than what we believed them to be and, in fact, through this survey our idea of that has been borne out,” said Pickett.
While looking at compensation levels, the study also tapped into levels of satisfaction. The majority of respondents (three in four) have been given increased responsibilities over the past 12 months, but very few have received a job promotion (15 per cent) or expect to get a job promotion this year (12 per cent). Not surprisingly, the study found a correlation between longer hours and a lack of promotion with lower job satisfaction.
With 58 per cent of survey respondents saying they’re satisfied with their jobs, the highest scores among IT professionals are seen among senior managers (66 per cent) followed by IT managers (61 per cent) and IT staff (53 per cent.)
Slightly more than half of respondents (55 per cent) are satisfied with their total pay package, though almost an equal number (44 per cent) think offerings at other companies are more competitive.
The benefits that IT professionals value depends on many factors. Those who’ve been in the profession longer place more value on benefits such as health coverage, life insurance and pension while those in mid-career are more interested in flexible scheduling.
Women also want flexible scheduling, additional time off and telecommuting options, whereas men prize profit sharing, stock options and stock purchase plans.
Those working in the education sector value tuition reimbursement, health benefits and time off. Those in the government sector value health benefits, pension and life insurance. In banking, IT professionals look more for stock options and stock purchase plans. In the computer industry they value telecommutes and in manufacturing or retail, they prize the company car.
