How to lose an engineer in 4 ways

This week in Tech in Asia Jobs shares insights into how successful companies operate, hire, and more.

Photo credit: bartpeereboom / 123RF Stock Photo

It’s one thing to hire and find an engineer that seems to be a perfect fit, but it’s an entirely different challenge to keep them happy and remain loyal to your company.

With over 87% of them already employed, it’s hard to say when that trusty-techwiz will decide it’s time to take another opportunity. But here are a few things (to avoid) that could cause an engineer to resign.

1. Make it easy

If your engineering team constantly works on the same projects and problems they have solved many times before then your days are numbered.

That’s why this was never the case for Ninja Van founder, Lai Chang Wen’s team. He believed in the importance of getting your hands dirty. This meant making his engineers experience their operational problems first hand (by driving). A technique that led to better algorithms and technology that was far more advanced than their competitors’.

As your company grows, employees should feel that they’re growing along with you. Reward them with more senior job titles if you must.Thousands of companies are in need of engineers, don’t give them a reason to look elsewhere.

2. Limit inspiration

The need for face-to-face interaction has decreased since the rise of the internet – use that to your advantage. Give your engineers the ability to tailor fit their life and personality around their work. Realize that sometimes working from home (or anywhere else) can be more productive.

Keeping them stuck in the same environment, no matter how cool your office is, can and will eventually dampen desire to work.

3. Leave feedback as just feedback

One of the most important voices in a tech company comes from its engineers. More often than not, they will be the first to identify a problem or discover a better way of doing things – don’t forget that.

Grab does this by holding a quarterly “Grabathon”, a hackathon where employees are able to apply their ideas into business solutions and product features. Great ideas can come from any department.

Don’t stop at the discussion, find concrete ways to solve it as one unit.

4. Pinch your pennies

Your old computers may still run as good as new but holding on to dated technology for the fear of a big investment will put you in a disadvantage.

With 66% of developers who consider learning new technologies as a vital aspect of their job, it is more likely for those who are unsatisfied with their equipment to consider other options.