• The biggest barrier to relocation for 59 percent of digital professionals is affordability, new research by digital recruitment specialist, The Candidate, has found. 
• The smallest barrier was fear, with just 10 percent of respondents citing this.
• 40 percent of respondents would relocate for a role if it’s a location they’ve previously wanted to move to.

The research, of 500 digital professionals, uncovered the worries that are preventing digital professionals from moving to a new location for a job. Following affordability were concerns around leaving a partner (49 percent) or family (39 percent). The smallest barrier was fear, with just 10 percent of respondents citing this. With the biggest barrier to moving being affordability, it wasn’t surprising that over half (54 percent) of digital professionals cited Manchester as the best location to work in digital in the next three to five years, above London (37 percent). 

As the research also found that 40 percent of respondents would relocate for a role if it’s a location they’ve previously wanted to move to, now might be a good time for Manchester-based businesses to consider relocation packages in their recruitment efforts – particularly in light of a worsening skills shortage. Brian Matthews, managing partner at The Candidate, said: “It’s not shocking that candidates have concerns when it comes to the affordability of a move, when just renting or purchasing a house can be quite costly. And this is before transport and the cost of living are taken into consideration. But it was brilliant to see that the majority of people we spoke didn’t see fear as something that would prevent them from taking this step. 

“Businesses should take this as a push to invest in relocation packages for candidates that they really want to employ. We’re in the midst of a skills shortage so the majority of businesses are struggling to recruit, and relocation packages could be an answer to this issue. “Manchester is a thriving hub for tech and digital at the moment, which is only set to improve with the current government initiatives in place, and the increasing number of brilliant businesses and tech start-ups calling the city home. As a result, candidates are more willing than ever to move for a role – 94 percent of respondents said a relocation package would make moving for a job more appealing – and Manchester is increasingly becoming an attractive choice.”