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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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