Insights for employers
End Users
Attraction and Retention
What encourages candidates to accept a role? What kind of thing makes them look elsewhere? And what can Salesforce end users offer that might attract professionals from other areas of the ecosystem?
These are crucial questions to ask when looking for Salesforce talent to join your team and help you get the most out of your Salesforce org. The answers to these kind of questions are constantly evolving as the job market changes and new generations of professionals join the Ohana, so it’s important to keep an ear to the ground if you want to appeal to Salesforce talent.
We asked Salesforce professionals to tell us what appeals to them most when hunting for new career opportunities, including the perks and benefits most likely to convince them to accept an offer. In this section, we’ll take a closer look at their answers and outline how Salesforce customers can use this information to bolster their hiring strategies.
What encourages a candidate to take a role?
Compensation
A better salary and compensation package than my previous role
“It was an opportunity to do something I hadn’t done yet—to implement a brand-new Salesforce org. Also, the pay increase over my previous role was significant.”
Business Systems Manager, United States
Career progression
Opportunities for career progression and development
“They are a great company with room to grow and advance.”
Administrator, United States
For personal development
“The role gave me the opportunity to grow my skill set.”
Administrator, United States
More responsibility
“It was a pay increase with more responsibility.”
Technical Lead, United Kingdom
To work in a different industry
“I wanted to move to a different industry.”
Technical Architect, Belgium
The new job was a promotion
“The role was a promotion.”
Product Owner, Australia
A different challenge
For a new challenge
“I was bored with what I was doing and needed a new challenge.”
IT Director, United States
The chance to work in a challenging role or on a challenging project
“The role offered a greater challenge to solve complex customer issues, as well as directing and setting up my own Salesforce team.”
Solutions Architect, Netherlands
To work for a non-profit organization
“I was burned out in my previous role, so I found a great opportunity at a non-profit I love.”
Administrator, United States
Flexibility
The opportunity to work remotely
“They offered remote working.”
Engineer, United States
To gain flexibility in my working hours
“They allowed me to be flexible in my working hours.”
Solution Architect, United States
Company culture
To work for an organization with values that align with my own
“I wanted to work on something that mattered to me and aligned with my beliefs.”
Architect, United States
The company culture appealed to me
“They have a healthy working culture.”
Technical Architect, Australia
To work for a prestigious organization with a great reputation
“The company has an outstanding reputation, and year after year wins the best workplace award in the United States.”
Business Analyst, United States
Similar to our last survey, 91% of permanent employees tell us that, salary aside, workplace benefits are important when deciding whether or not they will accept a job.
What perks entice a candidate to accept a role?
Flexible working hours
Four weeks or more paid time off
Home working
| Bonus (monthly/biannual/year-end bonus)* | 31% |
| Health/medical insurance | 24% |
| Retirement savings plan/401(k) match/pension contributions | 16% |
| Training and development opportunities | 12% |
| Shares in the company/reduced priced shares in the company | 9% |
| Certification exam vouchers | 6% |
| Accommodation/housing allowance | 5% |
* Bonus structures within the Salesforce community can vary significantly, encompassing payout amounts and timing differences. Junior positions usually come with smaller bonuses compared to senior roles, whereas established positions offer more generous financial incentives. Permanent employees of end users typically receive annual or bi-annual bonuses. On the other hand, Salesforce partners or ISV employees may benefit from more frequent bonuses and stronger incentives linked to billable hours.
Are employees looking to change employer?
Just over half (58%) of respondents in permanent roles expect to work for their current employer in the coming year, while 17% are actively looking for a new role. A further 10% expect to leave but aren’t currently job hunting, and the remaining 15% are unsure if they will stay or go.
When we consider those not satisfied with their role, this raises to 55% looking to move, 15% with some intention to switch employers, but they’ve made no steps to do so, while only 12% are happy to stay.
Dissatisfaction with salary is also a motivator for seeking a new role, with 35% of respondents unhappy with their pay actively looking for a new job and a further 17% considering a move.
What motivates an employee to consider a new role?
On average, those wanting to change roles for a pay increase would expect a 21% increase.
Almost a third (29%) of those looking to leave their employer within 12 months said they would be unlikely to accept a role that involved working in an office five days a week.
Takeaways for Salesforce users
With more than a third of Salesforce professionals considering moving jobs in the coming year, now is a good time for Salesforce customers to think about what they can do to boost their curb appeal.
According to our data, the primary factor that would tempt Salesforce talent to accept a new role is a salary increase, cited by 71% of respondents; not a surprising result considering the ongoing hikes in inflation and the cost of living. Outside of financial compensation, quality of life benefits like home working, flexible working, and paid vacation time ranked as the most persuasive benefits a company could offer.
This again proves that perks facilitating a better work-life balance remain highly desirable to top candidates, and should form a core part of any recruitment plan. Anecdotally, many of our respondents mentioned factors like company culture and opportunities to advance or take on new challenges as being important to them when making a decision to change roles, so be sure to showcase progression pathways in any hiring cycle.
Motivation to move from a partner to an end user
Almost two-thirds (63%) of partner employees would consider working for an end user and cited the following factors that would encourage them to make this move:
Ability to work remotely
Better work-life balance
Ownership over a project/system
| More stability | 39% |
| Consistency | 37% |
| Better benefits | 37% |
| Better career progression opportunities | 34% |
| Less stress | 28% |
| Possibility to develop skills across different Salesforce products | 25% |
| Better training and learning opportunities | 24% |
| Less travel | 19% |
| Other | 5% |
For another year, the prospect of remote working and a better work-life balance top the list of reasons why Salesforce professionals currently employed by a partner would consider moving to a role with an end user. With more professionals re-evaluating their relationship with work in recent years, this is hardly surprising. Working for a partner requires direct interaction with clients and handling diverse tasks in a fast-paced setting. Undoubtedly, such a role is often accompanied by a higher salary, but for those seeking a better balance between financial rewards and personal fulfilment, monetary incentives alone might not suffice.
Salesforce end users aiming to attract fresh talent, especially individuals employed by partner organizations, should also consider all the factors cited above. It is crucial to focus on providing better work-life balance, more training and development opportunities, greater flexibility in working arrangements, and the opportunity for candidates to take ownership over their projects. Highlighting these aspects will be instrumental in successfully attracting top talent to your organization.
We also asked the 17% of respondents who could not see themselves making the move to an end user why they wouldn’t consider it, and their reasons were:
| I'm happy in my current role | 61% |
| Lack of variety in the work | 46% |
| I like working with different clients | 44% |
| I prefer consultancy work | 41% |
| A drop in earnings | 31% |
| A lack of flexibility with working hours | 24% |
| I've no interest in working for someone else | 8% |
Partner organizations can enhance staff retention rates by gaining insights into the factors that drive employees to leave their positions, especially within high-demand technical teams. With 63% of partner respondents reporting that they could see themselves making the move to an end user, partner organizations should set out to tackle these common employee pain points as a priority. Where this isn’t possible, try to find a solution, consider providing remote work options and greater flexibility in hours for when professionals aren’t physically required to be present on-site. Even implementing small changes in the right direction can make a significant impact in reducing turnover.
What do employers need to prioritize to maximize employee happiness and retention?
How satisfied are employees?
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleagues | 80% | 16% | 5% |
| Working hours | 78% | 15% | 7% |
| Benefits | 75% | 15% | 10% |
| Work-life balance | 75% | 14% | 11% |
| Company culture | 68% | 19% | 12% |
| Career progression | 59% | 25% | 17% |
| Training and development | 59% | 26% | 15% |
Colleagues
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 80% | 16% | 5% |
Working hours
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 78% | 15% | 7% |
Benefits
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 75% | 15% | 10% |
Work-life balance
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 75% | 14% | 11% |
Company culture
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 68% | 19% | 12% |
Career progression
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 59% | 25% | 17% |
Training and development
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 59% | 26% | 15% |
How do employees rate their job satisfaction year over year?
- Satisfied
- Neutral
- Dissatisfied
2023
| 71% | 18% | 11% |
|---|
2022
| 75% | 15% | 10% |
|---|
2021
| 73% | 18% | 9% |
|---|
2020
| 69% | 21% | 10% |
|---|
2019
| 63% | 24% | 13% |
|---|
2023
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 71% | 18% | 11% |
2022
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 75% | 15% | 10% |
2021
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 73% | 18% | 9% |
2020
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 69% | 21% | 10% |
2019
| Satisfied | Neutral | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| 63% | 24% | 13% |
Over the past five years, job satisfaction among Salesforce professionals has experienced positive changes. However, our most recent findings indicate a decline compared to the previous survey. Will this downward trend persist into the next year? And will recent wider economic events have an impact on respondents’ ratings?
Positively, the percentage of respondents satisfied with their work-life balance has grown to 75%, up from 71% in our last survey, and 66% in the one prior.
Despite this optimistic news, employers should continue to work on the work-life balance of their staff as it’s an important factor for those looking to move to a new role. According to our respondents, 18% say they’ve left an employer because of a poor balance, and 73% of unemployed professionals tell us that it’s their top consideration when seeking a new role.
How can you boost employee satisfaction?
As employees begin to reimagine what they want from their working lives, it’s never been more important to improve how satisfied they are in their current role. Here are a few ways you can achieve that:
Training and development
Company culture
Career progression
How satisfied are employees with their salary?
Almost two-thirds (64%), compared to 65% from our previous survey, of professionals are satisfied with their salary. The 16% of respondents that are dissatisfied cited the following reasons:
- Considering my skills and experience, I’m earning below the market rate
- My salary is not in line with the industry standard
- I’m paid less than new hires doing the same job
- My salary has not kept pace with the changing responsibilities of my role
What training and development do Salesforce professionals feel they lack?
Although 7% could not name any training they were missing, knowledge gaps mentioned by the majority of respondents that you could look to develop in your staff include the following:
- Salesforce certifications
- Advanced technical training (including implementation, scripting, and coding – primarily Apex coding and Javascript)
- Experience across the Salesforce range (including Salesforce CPQ, Pardot, Flow Builder, Einstein Analytics, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and Salesforce Lightning)
- Change management
- Business analysis
- Databases, SQL, and containers
- Project management training or certification
- A mentor in my field
- Leadership and management training
- Mulesoft training
- Tableau training
- Time to undertake training
Training and development can be invaluable to an organization as a failure to invest in staff progression can lead to the risk of losing top talent. However, businesses can strengthen their teams, enhance their internal expertise, and mitigate the impact of the skills gap on their hiring plans by investing time, money, and resources in providing professionals with ample learning and development opportunities.
But that’s not all—with Salesforce professionals ranking training and development opportunities highly, providing ample opportunity for career growth can also be very effective in attracting and keeping talent. Whether that be funding certifications or allowing professionals to set aside work hours for development, it makes sense to offer candidates L&D opportunities.
Are organizations integrating Salesforce with non-Salesforce products?
Results show that 87% of Salesforce customers we surveyed have integrated their Salesforce product with a non-Salesforce product.
What non-Salesforce products are customers integrating Salesforce with?
‘Other’ responses include Microsoft Azure, Oracle Eloqua, and ServiceNow.
Some respondents also noted that their on-premise Salesforce product has custom-built applications attached.
What Salesforce-acquired products do you intend to use?
| Slack | 38% |
| Tableau | 37% |
| Mulesoft | 22% |
| Salesforce Industries (Vlocity) | 7% |
| None of the above | 20% |
| Not sure | 18% |
Over a third (34%) of respondents said they were more likely to use these products because Salesforce had acquired them.
Salesforce projects
End user respondents tell us their organization’s plan changes to their Salesforce instance six months in advance.
Salesforce implementation
Of the end user organizations that migrated to Salesforce from a competitor product, 22% did so in the last 12 months.
Who supported the organization through the migration?
Of those organizations that used in-house employees, 59% also enlisted the help of a Salesforce Partner, marking an increase from 44% in our previous survey. Additionally, 37% sought help from an independent contractor to support their internal staff, showing a rise from 33%. This indicates a noticeable trend of organizations using external resources to assist with Salesforce integration projects.
What challenges might you expect when working with a partner?
| They struggled to understand our requirements/business processes | 45% |
| Problems defining the scope of the project | 45% |
| Keeping the project to budget | 41% |
| Keeping the project on schedule/meeting agreed deadlines | 36% |
| Communication difficulties | 32% |
| They struggled to understand our industry | 27% |
| None | 5% |
| Other | 7% |
According to partners, what challenges do end users face when migrating to Salesforce?
- Poor data quality, resulting in data cleanup
- Data mapping and migration from legacy system
- User adoption and engagement
- Lack of change management in-house
- Confusion over product offerings and expectations around what Salesforce can do
- Lack of clear project scope
- Underestimating the amount of time required to replace their legacy system
- Lack of technical knowledge in-house to manage and execute the project
A Solution Architect from the United States explains some clients’ issues: “Many clients struggle to appreciate how much data they have in other systems that need to be migrated to Salesforce. Either they don’t understand what data needs to be moved, or they incorrectly assume that all data needs to be migrated”. A Consultant from the US added: “Clients don’t understand the scope of what they need to undertake, and prep the data effectively for the transfer.”
Why are organizations choosing to implement Salesforce?
Functionality of the product/services
Ability to integrate with third-party vendors
Ease of user adoption/user friendly
| Need to increase business responsiveness | 41% |
| Desire to move to the cloud | 32% |
| Need for global capabilities | 30% |
| Trusted products/services | 30% |
| Ease of migration | 28% |
| Variety of products/services | 24% |
| Desire to reduce costs | 20% |
| Lack of confidence in previous cloud service provider | 11% |
| Salesforce's commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) | 9% |
| Post-migration support offered | 3% |
| Other | 6% |
How long do migrations to Salesforce take?
Our respondents tell us their migration took, on average, one year to complete. Let’s see that broken down further:
Given that a Salesforce implementation can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months for a small to medium-sized organization or over six months for a larger enterprise with a more complex process, it’s essential to engage with an experienced Salesforce professional if you lack the skills internally. They can help assess your business needs and provide a more accurate timeline for the move based on your organization’s unique requirements.
Salesforce go-live delays
Over two-fifths (45%) of organizations experienced a delay to their scheduled Salesforce go-live.
How long were these delays?
- Less than 1 month
26%
- 1-3 months
41%
- 4-6 months
22%
- 7-9 months
4%
- 10-12 months
0%
- 12+ months
7%
What factors caused the delay?
Top 10 challenges that organizations faced during an implementation
User adoption challenges
Lack of appropriate skills internally
Difficulties migrating data from legacy systems to Salesforce
| Integrating Salesforce with another system(s) | 30% |
| Difficulties dealing with partners | 26% |
| The cost of custom integration | 26% |
| Rescoping of the project/changing needs of the project during implementation | 22% |
| Lack of appropriate skills available in the market | 20% |
| Lack of stakeholder buy-in | 20% |
| Poor project management | 18% |
Are you suffering from a skills gap in your team? Or is a lack of Salesforce knowledge impacting your project?
Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables allow you to compare your salary or benchmark your teams’ salaries no matter their role in the Salesforce ecosystem.
Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables allow you to compare your salary or benchmark your teams’ salaries no matter their role in the Salesforce ecosystem.
