That is often the starting point when we talk about why people leave.
It is the most visible factor. The easiest to measure. The one that tends to drive quick decisions when someone resigns.
And to a point, the data supports that thinking.
Why people move
In our latest engineering salary survey, money comes out as the top reason for moving roles at 29%. Close behind are better working hours at 22.3%, which is not surprising given this survey focused on engineers working in 24/7 manufacturing environments. Career development follows closely at 22.1%.
But we did not just ask what would make people leave. We also asked what makes them stay.
Why people stay
Again, money at first appears to be the dominant factor at 43.2%.
But that only tells part of the story.
When you look at the next reasons, the picture shifts. Job satisfaction at 33.6%, team at 27.8%, and company culture at 17.5%. Combined, that reaches 78.9%.
What this shows, very clearly, is that retention in manufacturing is driven by the day to day experience of work. Nearly four fifths of the reasons people stay sit in how they feel about their role, the people around them, and the environment they are part of.
People do move for money, particularly when pay has fallen behind the market or no longer reflects the level of responsibility they carry. In those situations, salary becomes the tipping point. It is not just about earning more, it is about feeling valued. If that is not addressed, people will leave, and rightly so.
But sustainability and long-term retention rarely come from money alone.
I know many engineers who have moved roles for less money. Not because they had to, but because they wanted something different. They have chosen to join start-ups or organisations investing in new technology, drawn by innovation and the opportunity to build something from the ground up.
They understand the risk. The financial reward may not be immediate. But from day one, the enjoyment is there. The work is engaging, the problems are new, and the sense of progress is tangible.
For them, that is worth the trade.
We see the same pattern at a more senior level.
Executives stepping into roles with lower base salaries but greater upside through equity or long term value creation. These are deliberate choices, not compromises. The attraction is the challenge itself. Taking an organisation from one stage to another, shaping its direction, and building something that works.
They are forward looking. They want the energy, the pace, and the opportunity to create impact from the outset.
The financial reward is not the starting point, it is the outcome, and they back themselves to achieve it.
One of the clearest examples of when money is not the real reason for leaving is counter offers.
Someone resigns. The immediate reaction is to increase salary, adjust the package, and try to retain them. On the surface, it makes sense. If money is the reason, solve the problem.
But the data and what we see in practice tell a different story.
Across the recruitment market, it is widely accepted that between 50% and 80% of employees who accept a counteroffer will still leave within 6 to 12 months. By 12 to 18 months, that figure rises further.
Which raises an important question.
If the money has been fixed, why do people still leave?
Because in most cases, salary was not the only issue in the first place.
The original reasons are still there. Lack of progression. Limited challenge. Friction in the team. A culture that does not quite fit. Or simply a feeling that the role is no longer moving them forward.
The pay rise can create a short term pause. It can make someone feel recognised. It can buy time. But it rarely changes how the role feels day to day.
And once someone has reached the point of looking externally, something has already shifted.
Which is why counter offers so often delay a decision, rather than change it.
Money matters in engineering and manufacturing. It always will.
But it is rarely the full reason people move, and even less often the reason they stay.
The real question is more individual.
What does that person want from their role? What are they striving for? What matters to them at this stage of their career?
And does that align with what your business can offer and is trying to achieve?
Because when there is alignment, retention becomes easier.
When there is not, salary often becomes a short term fix rather than a long term solution.
Which is why counter offers so often only delay the outcome.
You can match the market on pay. But if the role, the environment, and the opportunity do not hold people, the result is usually the same.
