Specific Career Motivation of IT-Engineers

Abstract

The article is focused on the problem of motivation for the professional activity of developers – employees of the IT sphere. The work of an IT engineer is associated with innovative activity and therefore, requires full utilization of intellectual assets and employees internal motivation, which can be influenced with suitable motivational factors.

The article analyzes the peculiarities of motivation for professional work of programmers with different work experience, in particular Junior, Middle and Senior. On this basis motivating factors for professional development of the developers based on their work experience and skills are substantiated.

Findings of practical research into career motivation of IT engineers suggest that employees with different level of experience have a need for achievement which can be seen in the person’s effort to perform their task more effectively than before. Furthermore, engineers with different level of experience have a high level of internal motivation. What matters for them is the activity itself but not external motivation. In addition, employees are interested in high salary, good psychological environment, comfortable work conditions, interesting tasks, training, flexible hours, career pro­spects. Regarding to fringe benefits, IT engineers are interested in sick pay. Employees with high experience level are more interested in health insurance and additional leave and less interested in sport activities and incentives for employment history with the company.

According to the correlation analysis findings, it is advisable to influence internal motivation of Junior and Middle level developers by satisfying their creative activity needs, while internal motivation of Senior level developers can be influenced by satisfying their need for social status, like ensuring attention and recognition of their co-workers, as well as giving them opportunity to meet their need for social relevance. Hygiene factors also affect internal motivation of Junior level engineers, and therefore it is important to ensure favorable working conditions, salary, psycho­logical environment in the team.