Tech Pros Aren't Worried About Losing Jobs, At Least For Now

Technology professionals are feeling more secure about their jobs than they have in years, according to a new report by IT staffing and outsourcing firm Hudson.

Only 19% of tech pros in June said they were concerned about job losses, the lowest percentage since Hudson began its monthly job confidence surveys two years ago. Hudson surveys 9,000 workers nationwide in several industries, including more than 400 IT professionals. In May, 28% of these techies said they were worried about job losses.

The improved perception of job security in part reflects some business changes taking place at many companies, says Jeff Nicoll, manager of Hudson's IT and telecommunications practice.

Many companies that work with Hudson are streamlining and standardizing business processes, including recruiting, hiring, and backroom operations, nationally instead of locally. Tech pros working for those companies feel more secure about being part of a team that's helping their employers become more efficient nationally. This gives workers a feeling of greater ownership of their assignments, Nicoll says.

Overall, IT workers in June rated their job confidence at 108.2, compared to a base score of 100. Tech pros were more optimistic about their jobs than other workers across all industries, which had an average score of 102.4.IT worker confidence in June was up four points over last June, when it registered only 104.2. But overall IT job confidence last month was down very slightly, about 0.6 points since May. Nicoll attributed the small monthly drop to vacation time--IT pros being physically away from their jobs, as well as the anticipation of being out of the office. "Vacation mindset is setting in," since June, July, and August are the most popular vacation months for U.S. companies, outside of the December holiday time.