The Driving Force Behind Software: Six Motivators of Engineers
Written by Chris Picard
Hi. I am Chris, a software engineer with 15 years of experience who has worked for small companies to Fortune 500 ones.
As I served on a leadership team, this recurring theme emerged throughout my career: how do you retain quality software engineers? For example, at an annual leadership conference, top Lockheed executives asked me this question yearly. As a result, I decided to write my first blog post about leading motivators of engineers based on my personal experiences and after talking to several peers throughout my career.
Why is it important to know what motivates software engineers?
Even with the recent downfall of the big tech industry, finding quality software engineers continues to be challenging; however, organizations can significantly improve their chances of getting and retaining engineers by understanding what motivates them. This blog is excellent for tech companies or business owners who employ software engineers.
Here Are 6 Top Motivators of Engineers:
1. Technical Authority
Technical authority is one of the most valued motivators of engineers, but what does this even mean? Technical authority is defined as an engineer has the power to make technical decisions. An example I experienced in my career was given the authority to split our code baseline in two. This negatively impacted our schedule for a short time but allowed us to keep the integrity of our design. I have found this split of authority between program management and engineering leadership to be the most effective.
Program management has authority over the delivery schedule, scope definition, prioritization, and Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Engineers have the authority on the technical approach, scope of releases, and deciding to incur technical debt.
Allowing engineers at the bottom to make most of these types of decisions. Building technical authority into your company’s approach can significantly impact an engineer’s motivation if done correctly.
2. Unleashing Creativity
It is hugely motivating for an engineer to be able to pursue their craft their way. Software is more than an engineering discipline. It is an art form that every engineer does differently; it lets them take pride in their work and make them the most productive they can be. I get the most enjoyment when working on my personal projects because I can create code exactly how I want to. There is a need to have some standards and rules that limit some aspects of the process; however, they should be the least restrictive possible.
3. Becoming a Technical Expert
The desire to be a technical expert in a particular area motivates software engineers because they feel good about being respected and share that knowledge with others. Over my career, one area I have become an expert in is the Java language. My coworkers always ask me detailed questions about it that I love answering. Allowing engineers to pursue their expertise, take classes, keep up with modern trends, etc., benefits their morale and your organization.
4. Challenging Problems
Engineers love challenging problems to solve. Nothing is more engaging and satisfying than a challenge. Now, you might think you need to increase the difficulty of the work to leverage this motivation. The key is staffing your team correctly. For a young engineer, being a team lead is a challenging problem. For an older engineer, it is a complex problem to be responsible for designing a whole component. It is a challenge for a senior engineer to be the chief engineer for an entire project. An organization's typical mistake is wanting the most senior engineers they can get. This leads to a shortage of challenges and a higher-than-average turnover rate.
5. Remote Working
This one seems like a no-brainer, but allowing those who want to work from home to do so benefits their motivation and has another hidden benefit. I have worked from home since 2015 and can’t imagine returning to the office full-time. Finding the right resources locally can be challenging. Enabling remote work opens your company to a far larger pull of candidates. The pandemic opened many people’s eyes to the joys of working from home.
6. Compensation vs. Total Benefits Package
The final motivator I will cover is compensation and benefits. It is essential to know that only some individuals are motivated by a high salary, but here is a list of other rewards your company can offer that will encourage engineers to work for your company:
Competitive salaries
Profit sharing
Company stock
Bonuses
Good health coverage
Generous vacation policies
Work-life balance
Flexible schedule
Paying for continuing education
The more flexible you can be with the compensation you can offer, the more likely your company is to attract engineers.
These are just a few of the most common motivations for engineers, but it is in no way a complete list. Contact us if you have questions about any single motivator or want to help identify additional motivators.
