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Data centre employee benefits aren’t valued in the same way in every market. In Europe, 30.3% of respondents want equity added to their package. In the US, 38.1% selected a car or fuel allowance.

Two markets. The same industry, survey and year. But the most requested benefit is completely different.

That matters if you’re building packages across Europe and the US. What makes an offer more attractive in Frankfurt or Dublin may not have the same value in Virginia.

Our 2026 Data Centre Salary Survey doesn’t suggest adding one benefit to every package. It shows why understanding local priorities matters.

What data centre employee benefits do people want most?

In Europe, stocks, shares or equity were the most requested addition to respondents’ packages, selected by 30.3%.

In the US, 38.1% chose a car or fuel allowance.

Neither represents a majority, but each was the most common preference in its market.

The survey asked people what they wanted, rather than why. We should therefore be careful not to make assumptions about what sits behind each answer.

What the findings do show is that a better package means something different depending on where someone works.

Europe: Equity and long-term reward

Equity differs from many traditional benefits. Its value is linked to what the business becomes over time rather than something people can use immediately.

Almost one in three European respondents said they wanted stocks, shares or equity. Only 16% currently receive it, meaning close to twice as many want equity as have it within their existing package.

We can’t tell from the survey why people chose it or which roles generated the most demand. However, it gives employers a reason to examine how long-term contribution is recognised.

Equity won’t be practical for every organisation. Where shares aren’t an option, employers can still consider whether their package offers any meaningful form of longer-term reward.

The relevant question isn’t whether you can offer equity. It’s whether people can share in the value they help create.

US: Car and fuel support

The leading US request is more immediate. A car or fuel allowance can reduce the constant cost of travelling to work or between sites.

A total of 38.1% of US respondents selected this as the benefit they would most like added.

The survey also found that 62.6% already receive some form of travel allowance covering flights, car or fuel. However, these figures aren’t directly comparable. Travel allowance is a broader category and may cover business flights or other expenses rather than everyday driving.

We also don’t know whether respondents selected car or fuel support because their existing allowance is insufficient, because they don’t receive the specific help they need or for another reason.

What the result shows is that practical travel support remains a priority, even where broader allowances are relatively common.

For employers, that raises a useful question: how much does carrying out the role cost the person doing it?

Where regular driving or site travel is unavoidable, covering that expense may be more valuable than adding a benefit with little effect on someone’s working life.

The wider benefits packages also differ

The European and US preferences sit within two different benefits environments.

US respondents reported receiving an average of 14.2 days of annual leave, compared with 25.8 days among European respondents. Employer-provided pensions were reported by 13% in the US and 57% in Europe.

These differences don’t explain why car and fuel allowances came out on top in the US.

They do provide useful context. People consider the complete package, including salary, bonus, leave, retirement provision and the costs associated with doing the job.

Looking at one benefit without considering everything around it can give an incomplete picture.

Why data centre employee benefits should reflect the market

It would be easy to interpret the European preference as long-term ambition and the US preference as short-term financial pressure. Our data doesn’t support that conclusion.

A more useful interpretation is that respondents in different markets are identifying different gaps in their current packages.

For European employers, the finding raises questions about ownership and long-term reward. For US employers, it highlights the practical cost of travel.

Both preferences could be overlooked by a global benefits policy designed around what works in one location.

Consistency can be valuable, but it doesn’t have to mean offering everyone exactly the same package. Clear company-wide principles can still leave room for benefits that reflect local working patterns.

How to build more relevant benefits packages

1. Ask people what they value

Ask the people already working in your business which benefits they use, understand and would change.

Feedback from interviews and offer discussions can also reveal which parts of a package influence decisions. Collecting that information only helps if recurring themes are reviewed and acted on.

2. Look at what the job costs people

Consider the personal costs attached to each role, including commuting, travel between sites, parking, equipment or home-working arrangements.

Where work creates a regular expense, covering it may be more useful than adding an unrelated benefit.

3. Review who can access each benefit

Look at whether long-term incentives, enhanced leave or other valuable benefits are limited to particular seniority levels.

There may be a good reason. But it should be a deliberate decision rather than something inherited from an older policy.

4. Explain the value clearly

A benefit only strengthens an offer if people understand it.

With equity, explain how the scheme works, when ownership is earned, what happens if someone leaves and what value it could realistically provide.

The same applies to bonuses, pensions and allowances. Clear information helps people compare the whole package rather than focusing only on salary.

The bottom line

Few career decisions rest on one benefit alone. But what people ask for tells you something useful about what they value and believe is missing.

In Europe, equity is the most requested addition. In the US, it’s a car or fuel allowance.

The lesson for data centre employee benefits isn’t to add shares to every European offer and travel support to every American one. It’s to stop assuming that one package will have the same value everywhere.

Listen to what people in each market are asking for, understand the working reality behind it and build your package accordingly.

Download the full 2026 Data Centre Salary Survey to explore the benefits professionals currently receive and want across Europe and the US, alongside our findings on salaries, bonuses and career plans.

Around 38% of permanent respondents in both Europe and the US plan to change company in the next 12 months. The expected level of movement is similar, but the reasons behind it are not. 

When someone resigns, the first instinct is often to look at their salary and ask whether more money would persuade them to stay. 

Sometimes, that’s the right conversation. Sometimes, it misses the reason they were considering leaving in the first place. 

The 2026 Data Centre Salary Survey offers a clearer picture of why people change jobs in the data centre industry. In Europe, career development is the most common reason. In the US, money leads, but base salary is only part of the picture. 

For employers, the message is simple: the same data centre employee retention strategy won’t work in every market. 

Why are data centre professionals planning to move? 

Around 38% of permanent respondents in both Europe and the US said they plan to change company within the next year. 

That doesn’t mean every one of them will leave. Intentions can change. But it does show that a significant proportion of the workforce is open to moving. 

The reasons respondents gave also provide a useful starting point for employers. 

In Europe, 35% of those planning to move selected career development as their main reason. Salary came second at 26%. 

In the US, 39.3% named money. This included 28.6% who selected salary and 10.7% who pointed to other financial rewards, such as bonuses, commission, or equity. 

The likelihood of moving may be similar, but the priorities behind it are different. 

Europe: Career development comes first 

Career development was the single most common reason European respondents gave for planning to leave, at 35%. 

Salary remained important at 26%, while company culture was selected by 7%. 

Pay satisfaction provides further context. European respondents planning to move rated their base salary at 3.43 out of five, compared with 3.71 across all permanent respondents. 

People considering a move are less satisfied with their pay, but the difference alone doesn’t explain why career development ranked first. 

That matters because a pay rise may not address the real problem. If someone can’t see how their career will progress, more money might encourage them to stay a little longer without giving them a clearer reason to build their future with you. 

Career development can mean different things to different people. It could be a promotion, more responsibility, better training, or a clearer understanding of what the next step looks like. 

The survey doesn’t tell us which part respondents felt was missing. That’s why the most useful thing an employer can do is ask. 

US: Look at the whole reward package 

The US picture is more financially focused. Among respondents planning to move, 39.3% selected money as their main reason. 

However, base salary wasn’t the only concern. 

Salary accounted for 28.6%, while 10.7% selected other remuneration, including bonus, commission, or equity. In other words, more than a quarter of those who named money were looking beyond their basic pay. 

The satisfaction scores support the need to look at the wider package. US respondents planning to move rated their base salary at 3.60 out of five, compared with 3.04 for their bonus. 

This doesn’t prove that bonus dissatisfaction is causing people to leave. It does give employers a good reason to look beyond the headline salary. 

If bonus schemes are difficult to understand, feel unrealistic or don’t reward the contribution people believe they’re making; increasing base pay may only address part of the issue. 

Similar movement doesn’t mean similar motivation 

It would be easy to turn these findings into broad assumptions about European and US professionals. The data doesn’t support that. 

Career development matters in the US, just as money matters in Europe. The figures simply show that different priorities came out on top in each market. 

For employers, that distinction is useful. 

A retention approach built around progression may have more impact in one market, while a review of total reward may be more urgent in another. Applying the same response everywhere risks overlooking what people are actually telling you. 

The differences may also exist within individual markets. Priorities can vary by role, seniority, location, and personal circumstances, so regional data should inform the conversation rather than replace it. 

How can data centre employers improve retention? 

You don’t need to wait for a resignation to understand what could make someone leave. 

1. Ask before people start looking 

Regular conversations about progression, pay, and working life can bring concerns to the surface while there’s still time to address them. 

This doesn’t need to be a formal annual survey. A direct conversation in a one-to-one can tell you far more than waiting for an exit interview. 

2. Make career progression visible in Europe 

If career development is the leading reason people are considering a move, the route forward needs to be clear. 

Explain what the next role involves, what someone needs to demonstrate, and when progression could realistically happen. Be honest where opportunities are limited. A clear answer is more useful than a vague promise. 

Development doesn’t always have to mean promotion either. Training, mentoring, new responsibilities, and exposure to different projects can all help people see that they’re still moving forward. 

3. Review total reward in the US 

Look at the full financial package rather than focusing only on base salary. 

That includes bonus structures, commission, equity, and other forms of reward. Check whether people understand how each element works and whether the outcomes feel achievable and fair. 

If the scheme looks good on paper but rarely delivers in practice, it’s unlikely to support retention. 

4. Use the data as a starting point 

Survey findings can show wider patterns, but they can’t tell exactly what every person in the business wants. 

Break retention data down by location, role and seniority. Then speak to people to understand what sits behind the numbers. 

The strongest response will combine market evidence with honest internal conversations. 

The bottom line 

Around 38% of permanent respondents in both markets are planning to change companies within the next year. That doesn’t guarantee they’ll all leave, but it’s a clear retention signal. 

In Europe, career development is the most common reason. In the US, financial reward leads, with bonuses, commission and equity contributing alongside salary. 

Both can be addressed. But they shouldn’t be treated as the same problem. 

If someone wants to understand where their career is going, show them. If they feel their reward doesn’t match their contribution, look at the whole package. 

Above all, have the conversation before a resignation forces it. 

Download the full 2026 Data Centre Salary Survey for further insight into salaries, benefits, bonuses and the career plans of data centre professionals across Europe and the US. us about their plans for the year ahead.

More than two in five European respondents to our 2026 Data Centre Salary Survey had previously worked in energy or semiconductor/pharmaceutical roles. In the US, almost two in five came from energy or military backgrounds. For employers, it’s a good reason to look beyond previous data centre experience when hiring. 

Previous data centre experience can feel like the safest place to start when you’re hiring. Sometimes, it is essential. 

But making it the default requirement can narrow your search before you’ve properly considered what the role needs. 

When you’re looking for transferable skills for data centre jobs, the sector name on someone’s CV only tells you part of the story. The work they’ve done, the environments they understand, and the responsibilities they’ve held may tell you much more. 

The 2026 Data Centre Salary Survey found that many people already working in the industry built their careers elsewhere first. 

The survey doesn’t confirm why they moved or which specific skills helped them make the transition. What it does show is that there’s more than one route into a data centre career. 

So, the question for employers is simple: are you hiring for previous sector experience, or for the capabilities the role actually needs? 

Where does data centre talent come from? 

In Europe, 41.7% of respondents had previously worked in energy or semiconductor/pharmaceutical roles. 

In the US, 36.9% came from energy or military backgrounds. 

These sectors aren’t interchangeable, and experience in one doesn’t automatically prepare someone for a data centre role. However, the findings suggest employers could miss relevant people if previous data centre experience is used as the first and most restrictive filter. 

Direct sector experience will remain essential for certain positions. For others, it may be more useful to understand what someone has worked on, what they were responsible for and how closely that experience matches the role.

Europe: Look beyond the sector label

Energy and semiconductor/pharmaceutical backgrounds stood out among European respondents. 

Although these industries are different, roles within them can involve complex infrastructure, engineering, controlled environments, strict safety requirements, and large technical projects. 

That doesn’t mean everyone from these sectors will be suitable. It does mean they shouldn’t be ruled out based solely on where they gained their experience. 

If someone has the right technical knowledge and has worked in a similar environment, it may matter less whether that experience was gained inside a data centre. 

Start by defining what the person genuinely needs to know from day one. You can then separate those requirements from the knowledge that can realistically be developed through training, mentoring, and experience.

US: Different backgrounds, same principle

Energy also appeared as a prominent source of talent among US respondents, alongside military backgrounds. 

Military experience can vary significantly, so it shouldn’t be treated as a single set of skills. However, some people may bring experience of technical systems, safety-critical operations, strict procedures, operational discipline or working in high-consequence environments. 

The survey doesn’t prove that these capabilities were responsible for people moving into data centres. They are simply relevant areas for employers to explore. 

Look at the work the person has done, the level of responsibility they’ve held, and the problems they’ve solved. That gives a much stronger basis for assessing someone’s suitability than a sector or job title alone.

Which transferrable skills should employers assess?

The survey identified previous sectors rather than individual skills, so it’s important not to present these capabilities as direct findings. 

However, depending on the role, relevant experience could include: 

• Working with complex or critical infrastructure 
• Understanding technical and engineered systems 
• Operating in safety-led or highly regulated environments 
• Managing risk, reliability and operational problems 
• Following controlled processes and procedures 
• Delivering large technical projects 
• Working effectively in high-consequence environments 

Not every skill will be relevant to every position. Technical qualifications, specialist knowledge, and previous data centre experience may still be essential. 

The aim isn’t to assume that someone’s experience will transfer. It’s to give them a fair opportunity to show whether it does. 

The right talent pools will vary by market 

The comparison between Europe and the US shows both consistency and difference. 

Energy appears among the highlighted backgrounds in both markets, but the other prominent talent sources vary. That suggests employers shouldn’t assume the same hiring strategy will work in every location. 

Instead, look at the industries operating in your local market. Which involve similar systems, infrastructure, regulations or working environments? Which employ people with capabilities that could translate into the roles you need? 

The strongest adjacent talent pool for one location may be completely different from another.

How to widen your search without lowering the standard 

Looking beyond the sector doesn’t mean lowering expectations. It means making sure you’re measuring the right things. 

1. Review where data centre experience is essential 

Look at each job description and ask why direct sector experience has been included. 

Keep it where there’s a clear technical, regulatory, or operational reason. Where it has been added through habit, replace it with the specific knowledge or capability you actually need. 

2. Separate “must know” from “can learn” 

Be clear about what someone needs before they start and what can be developed after joining. 

This makes crossover hiring more practical while ensuring genuine knowledge gaps aren’t overlooked. 

3. Assess evidence, not just job titles 

A job title won’t always explain the scale, complexity, or relevance of someone’s experience. 

Ask about the systems they’ve managed, the environments they’ve worked in and the outcomes they’ve been responsible for. 

4. Map adjacent industries in each location 

Identify the local sectors with comparable technical, safety, or operational demands. 

The goal isn’t to widen the search indiscriminately. It’s to look in the right places. 

5. Support people making the move 

Transferable experience doesn’t remove the need for sector-specific learning. 

Clear onboarding, technical training, realistic expectations and support from experienced colleagues can help people apply what they already know while building the knowledge they still need.

The bottom line

Data centre experience remains valuable, but it isn’t the only route into the industry. 

With 41.7% of European respondents and 36.9% of US respondents coming from the highlighted adjacent sectors, there’s a clear reason for employers to think more broadly about where relevant experience can be found. 

The opportunity isn’t to lower the bar. It’s to make sure the bar measures the right things. 

Some of the people a business needs may already have valuable experience. They just might not have gained it inside a data centre. 

Download the full 2026 Data Centre Salary Survey for further insight into salaries, benefits, bonuses and the career plans of data centre professionals across Europe and the US.