As the tech sector surges ahead in the happiness ratings, now is the time for a career switch

Survey after survey continues to rank the tech sector as one of the happiest for employees. A trend that has flourished further as we have come out of Covid restrictions. The 2021 Savoy Stewart Job Index ranked the technology sector fourth in the happiness stakes whilst the Indeed Work Happiness Score survey completed by 5.5 million put IT fifth in the top ‘happy’ careers.  With employers struggling to fill roles and with work benefits diversifying, Corecom Technology Academy (CTA) reviews the factors driving this pattern and explains why now is the prime time to switch to tech.

Flexibility, career prospects and healthy monetary returns are just some of the draws to the tech sector

One of the lessons learnt from the outbreak of Covid is to live your life – the way that you want – and wherever possible to do what you love. For many the prospect of this ethos extending to the workplace has historically been a remote dream reserved for the lucky few. But the numerous adaptations and flex that organisations had to embrace to endure throughout the pandemic gave employees a taste of the ‘other’ side. As restrictions have lifted many industries have returned to the workplace – and the rigmarole and fresh challenges that it brings. The dead time commute, the rising costs of travel, the reintroduction of costly lunch breaks and the square boxing of work time rather than productive time – all place a drain on the disillusioned employee.  Yet the tech sector is kicking the trend. For the sector, adaptations came relatively smoothly and came to stay:

Remote is king

With research showing the daily commute to be the most stressful part of the workday, it goes without saying that remote working reduces stress levels and improves overall wellbeing. With the average UK commute lasting 59 minutes (TUC), remote workers are reclaiming a staggering two hours a day – valuable exercise, relaxation or family time.  Add to this the reduced stress of organising a work wardrobe and the associated costs – along with the rising costs of travel and lunch options, and remote working wins hands down over a return to the office.

By its very nature, the tech sector lends itself perfectly to remote working. This is evident in the increase in recruitments ads for remote working roles. The APSCo UK IT trends report June 2022 found remote working vacancies on the rise with 11% of all posts advertised as such. A phenomenal increase on pre-Covid remote ads that stood at just two per cent.  But what is really exciting about this growing trend in the removal of geolocation restraints is the avenues that are opened up for employees – enabling access to companies, countries and positions that would never have been previously considered.

Carve your career around your life

Traditional UK work ethic has seen employees put work first, with work-life balance consequently sitting on the back burner. With ONS stats revealing the extent of home care responsibilities (70% of employees have childcare responsibilities and one in seven care for a family member), working in the tech sector and with the flexible working policies it upholds, promises to bring balance to your day.

Many tech companies allow you to set the hours that work for you. So, whether you are wanting to see the kids perform in a school play, to take your parents to an appointment or to simply operate when you are at your most efficient and productive, by working flexibly you are securing greater wellbeing as well as enjoying more autonomy in managing your career.

What’s more flexible working is proven to double employee output, in turn driving greater business growth, ensuring an all-round win-win for employer and employee.

Thomas Crabtree, Academy Director at Corecom Technology Academy, said:

"Working in Tech has been a rewarding career for a long time, giving people the chance to learn lots of new things and to be part of building valuable software and systems. While working in tech has generally paid well over the years, the trend towards more flexibility and our new world of remote / hybrid working really makes working in tech an ideal choice for people looking to enter the industry."

Money talks

Whilst remuneration no longer holds the top ranking for career move choices (new skills, work life balance, qualifications and career progression all feature), rising living costs continue to put a squeeze on disposable income so pay does still feature as a deal maker. And the tech sector is well known for providing high salaries along with plentiful benefits. In fact, Glassdoor research into the ten happiest roles in 2022 revealed half were tech roles, scoring a minimum of 4.1 out of 5 for job satisfaction, with each commanding a median salary of £45k+.

With the move towards the advertising of remote roles, we are certain to see this threshold rise again as employees are integrated to tech companies in the likes of Silicon Valley where salaries can rise to well above $100,000.

There you have it. Blessed with strong career prospects, employee empowerment, flexibility and highly competitive rates of pay, the tech sector really is ripe for new entrants. And with job vacancies at an all-time high, now really is the prime time to re-evaluate, prioritise and make that switch to tech.