Auxilion survey reveals more than a third of IT leaders in Ireland plan to leave their job within two years

A new survey from Irish IT services provider Auxilion, and supported by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, reveals that 28% of IT decision-makers in Ireland changed job in 2023, with more than a third (34%) planning to do so within the next one to two years.

The research – carried out by Censuswide for Auxilion and involving more than 100 IT decision-makers in large enterprises across Ireland – found that those aged 25 to 34 were most likely to change jobs during this time, with 37% of this age group planning a move.

In terms of industry breakdown, some 69% of IT leaders working in the HR sector are planning to find a new role, followed by those in finance (39%), and manufacturing and utilities (36%).

In keeping with this, the survey revealed that a third (33%) of all respondents have interviewed for a new job over the last six months and some 41% have been approached by a recruiter about a job during that time.

Major Moves

As for what’s driving this trend, 29% of IT leaders are planning to leave their current job as they are intending to emigrate. The 25 to 34 age group had the highest proportion of people intending to relocate (34%).

Overall, 43% of respondents are planning to leave their current job as there are not enough growth opportunities within their organisation. Meanwhile, 36% said they were doing so because they needed a new challenge.

Almost half (49%) went one step further, saying they would retrain in a new career or profession if there were no barriers (such as money, mortgage, family commitments). The 35 to 44 age group was most open to this (61%), followed by 25 to 34-year-olds (45%).

Alternative Approaches

When it comes to finding new roles, some 84% of IT leaders have used a recruitment agency in the past, with 62% planning to rely on same for securing their next role. The same proportion (62%) have previously done contractor work and 72% would be open to same.

IT decision-makers also see the benefits of outsourcing work to contractors, with the most cited benefits found to be more flexibility (47%), a short-term solution (46%), accessibility to more skills (41%) and more cost-effective (41%).

Similar to those individuals looking for new roles, it seems organisations are also open to alternative approaches when it comes to finding new talent, with 74% of organisations having a graduate programme and a similar number (70%) offering apprenticeships.

Niamh Cray, Chief People Officer, Auxilion, commented: “All of this movement creates huge demand and pressure on organisations. Such gaps also have a wider impact in terms of their ability to maintain operations, complete projects and deliver services.

“That’s why businesses should adopt a blended approach when it comes to talent, incorporating contractors and resourcing partners. With better planning and more flexibility, organisations can easily plug any skills gaps that arise and avoid a resourcing crisis.

“A more collaborative and agile approach also enables companies to scale their competencies as and when needed. In turn, this can create more opportunities and support business growth in the long-term.”

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