The role of technology professionals, in the travel sector and across the wider economy, is more crucial than ever before. These skilled individuals foster innovation, drive efficiency, and support the digital transformation of entire industries.
As technology companies think about recruitment and retention in 2025, they need a deeper understanding on what motivates them and will help them flourish.
Leading travel technology provider, Amadeus, today unveils findings from a new independent global study, Innovating the Culture of Tomorrow.
The study explores the answers to these key questions by capturing the five priorities which are front of mind for technology professionals across eight markets:
Nearly all (94%) tech professionals see career changes ahead and will leave if they don’t get the right training.
The technology workforce can see that job roles are evolving fast, placing renewed emphasis on continuous workplace learning.
Some 40% of technology professionals anticipate having to pivot their careers at least three times to keep up with emerging technologies, like Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), extended reality and cloud computing.
Only 6% of respondents globally considered that they would not have to evolve their roles at all.
Around a quarter (24%) of global technology professionals believe the company they work for currently does not invest enough in their training.
Aside from financial incentives, half (48%) rank training on new technologies as a key factor to prevent them from moving elsewhere.
This focused training was prioritized considerably above reduced workload (24%), feeling cared for as an individual (30%) and achieving a better work/life balance (36%).
Technology professionals chose ‘being innovative’ as the single most important factor when selecting a potential employer, ahead of salary.
Moving beyond aspiration, respondents at innovative companies were over five times more likely (43%) than those at non-innovative companies (8%) to say they were ‘very happy’ at work. Conversely, global tech workers at companies not perceived to be innovative were four times more likely to say they were thinking about leaving within the next year.
Professor James Berry, founder of the UCL MBA, said: “Today, the technology workforce spans at least four generations.
“Each one of these generations has experienced how quickly and dramatically things regarded as constant can change.
“Today, being within an innovative business or using the latest technologies promises tech professionals guaranteed progress and security in an otherwise insecure world.
“In the study, being perceived as innovative was so important, that the average technology professional said they would consider taking a 21% pay cut to work with the leading brand in their sector.
“Two key findings emerge – companies looking to attract first-class technology talent need to find ways to clearly communicate their innovation achievements, and employers looking to retain their talent need to invest in the training and development of their employees to be leaders in their fields.”
DE&I is a central focus for tech professionals, particularly AI Engineers. The report found that four-in-five (79%) technology professionals want the company they work for to evidence its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) credentials.
Among the technology roles questioned, AI engineers were the most likely (53%) to rank a company being able to prove its DE&I credentials as ‘very important’ – 33% above average.
This marked spike among AI engineers is particularly interesting against the wider context of growing concerns about biases being inadvertently built into AI models.
Contrary to popular conceptions of innovative workplaces needing ping pong tables and music playing, tech workers observe that providing a ‘buzzy environment’ (13%) and recreational activities on-site (31%) were the least helpful in fostering innovation.
Instead, going back to basics with improved technology (56%), physical tools like the right desks and equipment (53%), and a quiet space (49%) as well as facilities to meet with the team face to face to brainstorm and test ideas (48%) were seen as the most conducive to promoting innovation.
Improvements are still needed to support psychological safety and mental health in tech companies. Creating the right psychological environment is key, too.
Around one in five tech workers (18%) do not feel they are encouraged to be innovative at work with a further 11% believing they do not have the freedom to experiment with their ideas, whether they succeed or fail.
Positively, almost two in three (63%) technology professionals feel comfortable talking about their mental health at work – but there is work still to be done.
Nearly a fifth of those questioned said they would be actively uncomfortable (17%) with a further 20% of people undecided if they would feel comfortable talking about their mental health at work.
Ana Doval de las Heras, senior vice president, people & culture of Amadeus, said: “At Amadeus, we believe that innovation is the cornerstone of progress.
“This research underscores the importance of fostering an environment where creativity and continuous learning are at the forefront.
“By empowering our technology professionals to explore new ideas, supported by a collaborative, inclusive and caring culture, we are not only advancing the travel industry but also creating a workplace where our employees can thrive and achieve their full potential.”
