A new study commissioned by Amadeus has revealed that 40% of global technology professionals anticipate making at least three career changes in the near future.
The study, titled “Innovating the Culture of Tomorrow,” looks into the intentions, priorities, and anxieties of technology professionals across eight markets, identifying trends in training, innovation, and workplace preferences.
Nearly all technology professionals surveyed, 94%, expect to make career changes and will consider leaving their current positions if not provided with suitable training opportunities. Within this group, 40% of respondents foresee adapting their careers at least three times due to emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and cloud computing. Only 6% think their roles will remain static without needing evolution.
Around a quarter of the global technology workforce believes the companies they work for do not invest enough in their training. To mitigate potential attrition, 48% of these professionals value training on new technologies as a crucial factor beyond financial incentives.
Innovation stands out as a primary attractor for tech professionals, even surpassing salary as a priority when considering new employment. Workers at innovative firms report a higher likelihood (43%) of being “very happy” in their jobs compared to only 8% at non-innovative firms. Furthermore, tech employees in non-innovative environments are four times as likely to consider leaving within a year.
Professor James Berry, Founder of the UCL MBA, commented, “Being within an innovative business or using the latest technologies promises tech professionals progress and security in an otherwise insecure world. In the study, being perceived as innovative was paramount, and the average technology professional said they would consider taking a 21% pay cut to work with the leading brand in their sector. Therefore, companies looking to attract first-class technology talent need to communicate their innovation achievements clearly, and employers looking to retain their talent need to invest in their training and development.”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) are significant concerns for tech professionals, particularly among AI engineers, who are notably aware of biases that might be inadvertently incorporated into AI models. Approximately 79% of tech professionals stress the importance of employers demonstrating their DE&I credentials, with 53% of AI engineers viewing this as “very important”—33% above average.
Contrary to common perceptions of innovative workspaces, the study finds that “buzzy environments” and recreational activities like ping-pong are less conducive to innovation. Instead, improvements in technology (56%), appropriate office equipment (53%), quiet workspaces (49%), and collaborative spaces (48%) are deemed more essential for fostering innovation.
Concerns regarding psychological safety and mental health in the workplace remain. Some 18% of tech professionals do not feel encouraged to innovate within their workplaces, and 11% do not feel supported in experimenting with new ideas. Moreover, nearly 17% of respondents reported feeling uncomfortable discussing mental health issues at work.
Ana Doval de las Heras, Senior Vice President, People & Culture at Amadeus, said, “At Amadeus, we believe that innovation is the cornerstone of progress. This research underscores the importance of fostering an environment where creativity and continuous learning are at the forefront. By empowering our technology professionals to explore new ideas, supported by a collaborative, inclusive and caring culture, we are advancing the travel industry and creating a workplace where our employees can thrive and achieve their full potential.”
The study was conducted by Opinium Research, which questioned 2,200 technology professionals from the UK, USA, India, France, Spain, Turkey, Colombia, and the Philippines. The respondents, aged 18-55+, represent a cross-section of technology roles.
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