Why Retaining Software Developers Is Hard?
Retaining software developers got you looking like this?
We thought so. You’ve invested countless hours vetting candidates, getting them up to speed on your product(s), paying them a hefty wage, and now they tell you they’re out the door. Why is getting good tech talent to stick around so hard?
In the mind of a software developer, salary does not prove worth. Rather, skills, experience, and opportunity showcase a great developer.
“Your biggest retention risk is a bored developer. The thing that drives software developers is picking up new skills and proving themselves on a bigger and bigger scale.”
Luke Melia, co-founder of Yapp Inc argues
Does your company offer tech employees a robust training program? How about access to the latest and greatest technologies? Because developers don’t just look for the highest paying job, it’s a good idea to offer non-monetary perks. The best software developers are looking for an opportunity to be exposed to new hardware, software, and any new tech they can get their hands on.
If you’ve been working with the same software developer or team of developers you are in one of two situations. The first being that you’ve got a great product that is constantly being iterated on using new technologies. Your developers feel challenged by their daily tasks and accomplished when they’ve successfully completed them. If this is you, congratulations! The second scenario is a little drabber. Your tried and true developer(s) are still working for your company, where both parties feel comfortable. “Comfortable” may as well be the kiss of death. If developers are comfortable, they aren’t challenged which will eventually lead to unengaged and thus, no longer employed… by you that is. They’ll find another company, using up-and-coming technology where they have a new skillset to master. Skills mastery in the developer world proves worth and let’s face it, everyone no matter what their skill, is trying to prove their worth.
All of this said, you have to be wondering, “Should I be using in-house developers at all?” The answer to that question is: it depends on your product, situation, and budget. However, there are some serious advantages to outsourced software development that you may be missing out on. Because we know that keeping developers happy takes more than just pocket change, maybe it’s time to consider the advantages of outsourcing development to another team, maybe even in another country.
Some of the key advantages of offshore software development being:
- No investment in training or equipment
- Experience with all the newest technologies
- Outside companies are constantly searching to hire top developer talent
- Get the developer skills you need for your specific project
Zibtek has worked with several companies who have experienced this conundrum firsthand. These companies began to feel like they could not compete with the benefits of outsourced development. The team at Studio, an app that advertises to do for design what Instagram did for photography,said,
“We had a hard time keeping our top developers as they continued to seek new opportunities to make more money and learn new technology stacks. We looked into offshoring, found the model that worked and now have a rockstar team that is there to help us hit our long-term goals.”
Another client of Zibtek’s, Molio, is a full-service video agency who has great things to say about how they made offshore software development work for their team. “We couldn’t compete with the competitive US market for software engineers, offshoring became to be the best option. As soon as we found the right team, we quickly realized that offshoring done right rocks!”
With so many companies struggling to retain developers, it’s no wonder that offshore software development is becoming more popular. If you’re ready to take the plunge and get started with an outsourced developer, consider a partner who can take your product to the next level. Zibtek offers US-based project management for each client’s project, helping you communicate clearly and easily and getting you the best bang for your buck.
At Zibtek, we offer custom software solutions for businesses of all sizes. Our digital strategy, design, and custom software development solutions have helped a wide range of clients to meet their goals—ask for a free consultation to find out whether we can do the same for your business.