Half of UK tech professionals are considering leaving their present role in the next 12 months, according to new research from global recruitment firm Harvey Nash.

The findings, published in the Global Tech Talent & Salary Report, show that despite almost half (45%) of tech professionals receiving a pay increase last year, and one in seven receiving a promotion, UK tech teams are feeling increasingly strained, with 54% reporting that their workloads had risen.

Around half (48%) are considering leaving their current role for more pay, 41% to further their career, and almost a third (31%) state that they’re leaving for a change of culture.

The report also highlights the reasons behind rising workloads, with 27% of tech professionals reporting a reduction in the size of their team, and 91% feeling that the lack of people resources has created a barrier to delivering their technology strategy.

In spite of the growing pressure, UK staff do, however, generally feel well supported, with 85% of tech professionals saying their employer is supportive of their physical and mental wellbeing.

When looking for a new role, technologists cited good remuneration and remote working policies as their top attractors globally, followed by good healthcare policies for US workers, while UK professionals look for a strong culture and leadership in their new roles, emphasising the importance of company culture in attracting and retaining staff in the UK.

The report also found that tech professionals want more from their leaders than technical know-how. 

In the UK, the ‘ability to create a positive culture within IT/tech’ (59%) and ‘influence at board level, and with the wider business’ (55%) were identified as the most important factors, closely followed by ‘strong communication skills’ (54%). 

All of these factors ranked more highly than having ‘a deep understanding of technology’ (39%).

With the UK’s tech sector still displaying diversity deficits, especially in gender, the report warns about cuts to DE&I budgets, with technologists in the UK agreeing that they would like to see more attention given to female participation in the sector (53%), more LGBTQ+ inclusion (42%), and more roles for those with disability and neurodiversity (38% and 36%).

“Whether or not UK technologists follow through with their intentions to leave remains to be seen, but what is clear from our study is that expectations of their roles and the companies they work for are changing,” said Andy Heyes, managing director for UK&I at Harvey Nash.

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“Even with tech talent availability returning to pre-pandemic norms, UK businesses must adapt to these evolving needs to attract and retain top tech talent effectively. Going forward retaining talent will be a delicate balance between getting the pay right and keeping work interesting and rewarding.”

Previous evidence suggests that more must be done to tackle the deficit of tech talent, especially in cybersecurity with the Office of National Statistics data recently showing that there is only one security professional for every 86 companies, with the gender gap continuing to widen.