Just under one in five tech workers are “job hoppers” according to a new report that found IT workers are more loyal than those in most other sectors.

New statistics by online mathematical modelling tool Gigacalculator, based on occupational data from the US Bureau of Labor, show the proportion of people in a range of industries who have been with their current employer for less than a year.

The report dubs these employees “job hoppers” – individuals who are moving from one job to another in short periods of time.

The science, IT and technology sector came in 14th place when it comes to job hopping, with just under 20 per cent of tech workers having been in their current role for less than a year.

According to the report, the median time a tech worker has been with their current employer is more than five years.

Loyalty in tech

The number of job hoppers in tech is far below the number in hospitality and food services, where more than a third of workers have been in their current role for a short period of time.

Lawyers proved to be the most loyal employees, with just 17.5 per cent of workers being job hoppers.

The report attributes much of these job-hopping rates to the level of pay offered in each sector.

“It’s clear that passion alone isn’t enough to keep workers committed – low pay makes these industries more prone to job hopping,” the GigaCalculator report said.

“Given the demanding nature of the job, irregular hours, and relatively low wages…it’s no surprise employees [in hotel and food services] are quick to seek out other opportunities.”

Tech jumpers

When looking at specific jobs under the science, IT and technology umbrella, the most likely to be job hoppers are those working in data processing, hosting and related services, where 22 per cent have been in their current role for less than 12 months.

One in five software workers are job hoppers.

The most loyal tech workers, according to the report, are management, scientific and technical consulting services employee.

The report also found that younger workers are far more likely to move jobs after a short period of time.

Just under half of all workers aged 20 to 24 years have been in their job for less than one year, compared to 28 per cent of those aged between 25 and 34.

This falls to less than 10 per cent for workers aged 55 to 64 years old.

How to job hop properly

Martin Schmidt, the co-founder and managing director of workplace consultancy JobLeads, said that workers looking to job hop should have a clear goal in mind before doing so.

“Job hopping without a strategy can backfire so make sure each move serves a purpose,” Schmidt said.

“Reflect on your career goals and how the new role aligns with them.”

Workers should also be transparent but tactful with their current employer and try to avoid burning bridges.

“Job hopping can raise eyebrows, so be prepared to explain your journey confidently and convincingly,” he said.

In Australia it may soon be easier for workers to hop from one job to another, with the government last week announcing plans to ban non-compete clauses for low and middle-income earners.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers unveiled the plan in last week’s federal budget, with Labor to ban these clauses for workers earning up to $175,000 if it wins the upcoming May election.

Previous research has found that axeing non-compete clauses may lead to productivity gains and higher salaries for workers willing to switch jobs.

But it is increasingly becoming harder for Australian workers to find a new job, with recent research finding that just under 40 per cent of job hunters are struggling to find a new role.

The report also found that just over a quarter of respondents could not find a job that matched their skill sets.