Week in Review: What does it (really) cost to keep your best developers?

In this week’s roundup from OfferZen, we deep dive into our data to see if salary means more than just a better paycheck, look at what you need to know about hiring Python developers and what DevOps engineers earn in South Africa.

Exclusive Dev Nation sneak peek: Salary is about more than just a monthly paycheck

As we approach the end of the year, planning for team budgets becomes top of mind. In the current macro context, many companies might not be able to offer the sorts of increases developers became used to during the tech boom. With salary planning around the corner, we want to see if the salary is just about the paycheck and what it really costs to keep your best developers in the coming year.

A look at incoming data from our latest Dev Nation survey shows that a better salary is the top reason why developers have left a role:

Developers' reasons for leaving a role

Looking at this data,It's tempting to think that every decision around leaving a role revolves around salary. That might be the case if salary was the main reason developers stay at their current jobs. But let's investigate the reasons why developers stay in the roles:

Developers' reasons for staying in a role

The data makes it clear: If you respect your developers’ work-life balance and provide growth opportunities, money matters less.

This link becomes clearer when we look at how developers assess their growth opportunities. Earning potential is the most important way developers determine if they can continue growing at their current company:

Developers' top factors for career growth

While providing work-life balance and many growth opportunities are key, they also want to know that their impact will be rewarded fairly. It can go a long way to recognise and reward your team for their hard work and ensure overall fair compensation.

You also can’t afford to neglect other aspects of career development, like working on challenging projects, keeping your tech stack relevant and offering mentorship to younger team members.

Getting this right can improve your developer retention, as future salary potential is another key factor that keeps developers in a role.

Here’s what developers in Johannesburg and Cape Town are earning

The right compensation goes a long way to show your team they are valued. But how do you determine what that looks like? Accurate salary benchmarking can help you determine what a good offer means throughout their careers.

We gathered data from developers in Cape Town and Johannesburg who were placed on OfferZen during the year.

Key salary trends and insights:

• Junior developers in Johannesburg have seen the biggest decreases, with their average salaries dropping 16.1% from 2022’s average.
• Intermediate developers in both cities have seen their salaries stagnate.
• Their earnings can potentially increase by 295% as they progress from entry-level to senior positions.

[Button: “See the full salary data” : https://www.offerzen.com/blog/developer-salaries-in-cape-town-vs-johannesburg]

Everything you need to know about hiring Python developers

When scaling your team, finding the right Python developer can be a challenge. A poor hiring decision can lead to setbacks, low-quality code, and wasted time.

To help you find the right Python developer fast, we’ve put together an article with insights and data from South African Python developers on:

• What they’re earning
• Industries with the most Python developers
• What they’re looking for from their next role

Tweet of the week

Here’s what it costs to hire a DevOps engineer in South Africa

Want to know what DevOps engineers earn in South Africa? We gathered data from 140 developers to better understand what developers can expect to earn over the course of their careers.

Levelling up as an Engineering Leader

Our next Scaling Tech Teams meetup, "Levelling up as an Engineering Leader", is dedicated to the idea that the most effective leaders are those who never stop growing and evolving.

Join us for an hour of insightful discussions, shared experiences, and practical tips for becoming the kind of engineering leader your team deserves.