IT professionals quit after three years

IT managers should watch their employees as they reach three years of service, as that's when they get the urge to move on to a new role, according to IT recruitment consultancy CV Screen.

CV Screen looked at 500 IT workers and found they look to move on after three years because of perceived low salary, lack of career progression and long commutes.

"It is clear that we have a more reactive workforce in the UK which is not prepared to remain in roles where they are not valued," said managing director Matthew Iveson in a statement. "Management need to offer their IT staff a personal development plan and regular appraisals to ensure that staff retention within the IT department does not suffer."

It's not just on-the-job issues, however. The thought of greener fields, made more visible by online job boards, also contributes, said Iveson. "The job boards give candidates ready access to information on IT salaries and demand for staff, which enables them to assess their worth within the IT market."