Abstract:

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is overly competitive due, largely, to the scarcity of qualified human resources in technological areas (Zin et al., 2012). The challenge of retaining technology-trained talent is a phenomenon that is a reality, worldwide. Only companies that are continuously attentive to their professionals, to the market, and to the needs of both will be able to retain them. In Portugal, there is a high demand for workers by companies in the ICT sector, and it is frequent that employees are approached by national and international companies and this causes a high rate of human resources (HR) turnover in more fragile technological organizations (Fernandes, 2017). The ICT sector is beginning to invest in HR management practices to retain and motivate technology professionals who are scarce human capital assets (SamGnanakkan, 2010) and also because these qualified technology professionals seem to be unique in their attitudes towards motivation and job satisfaction (Ahmed et al., 2017).

The main objective of this research is to identify the determinants of migration of qualified talent in technology among companies and territories to help territories and companies to attract and to keep these high qualified workers. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire was created for professionals of companies from a ICT cluster of Aveiro (Portugal), in order to understand their motivations and dissatisfactions regarding the factors identified in the literature and to understand their mobility in the past and the intention for mobility in the future. The analysis of the data obtained in the questionnaire is performed using the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 25.0), performing exploratory factor analysis and ordinal regression models.

For professionals in technology areas, the satisfaction of HR management practices, namely motivational practices, financial rewards, working conditions and flexibility are positive determinants on overall job satisfaction. In turn, the intention to leave the job is negatively influenced by the satisfaction of HR practices (except for flexibility) and the employment satisfaction felt, in general. The probability of moving to a region with better career opportunities, but with a less interesting lifestyle than the current one, depends positively on the intention to leave the job, negatively of age and, contrary to what was expected, the presence of family and friends in the current geographical region have no impact on this probability.

This work is of great use for employers, HR managers, regional policy makers and all of those who experience serious retention difficulties. Knowing how to create the right conditions to attract human resources is one of the key elements either for regional economic and social development and for companies’ success.

Keywords:

Job Satisfaction, Worker Retention, Employee Turnover, ICT sector, worker mobility.