The digital infrastructure industry is accelerating rapidly. New facilities are being built at record speed, and hyperscale customers continue to push for faster deployment timelines. According to Uptime Institute’s 2024 Staffing Survey, ‘data centers continue to expand their hiring, with 35% reporting more new hires in 2024 compared to 2023.’
Competition has intensified, with Uptime also reporting that ‘57% of organizations increased salary spending in 2024, while only 6% reduced it.’ This aligns with the reality many operators experience: talented technicians routinely receive multiple offers, often at significantly higher pay.
AFCOM’s 2024 State of the Data Center Report underscores how market expansion fuels staffing instability. The report states, ‘There are nearly 10,000 colocation and wholesale data center facilities across North America, and this number is expected to rise dramatically in the next three years.’
This growth isn’t limited to footprint. AFCOM adds: ‘New data center builds are expected to multiply sixfold over the next three years,’ contributing to rising wage pressure and aggressive hiring tactics among competitors.
Synergy Research Group provides additional context, noting: ‘The number of hyperscale data centers surpassed 1,000 in early 2024,’ and ‘total hyperscale capacity has doubled in the past four years and is expected to double again in the next four.’
These massive industry shifts increase the demand for qualified operators and heighten turnover risk. But retaining talent is not solely about matching salary offers, it requires intentional leadership and a strong, supportive culture.
Technicians value trust, recognition, inclusion, and connection. These emotional drivers often outweigh financial incentives. Many organizations underestimate their power. For example, simple cultural investments; providing lunches, snacks, or occasional team entertainment, can materially improve team morale and connection. These small enhancements help build a positive and inclusive environment. I have personally turned down external offers because of the strong sense of belonging and support at my current company.
A critical industry-wide shift is also needed. As operators, we should work collaboratively to reduce extreme market volatility. Personnel movement will always be part of business but offering 20–30% above market rates just to secure staffing is not sustainable. More responsible, proactive hiring practices, such as beginning recruitment earlier during buildout and commissioning phases, can help stabilize wage expectations and normalize staffing patterns across the industry.
In one practical example, an engineer on my team appeared increasingly disengaged. Through direct conversation, I learned he had received an external offer. Because our leadership team proactively monitored regional wage trends, we were prepared to offer a competitive adjustment and a clear development path. This combination of financial acknowledgement and emotional investment resulted in his decision to stay, and he eventually became one of our strongest leaders.
Sustainable retention requires long-term systems: continuous market analysis, consistent leadership visibility, structured development pipelines, and meaningful cultural investment. These practices signal to employees that they are valued, and that their future is worth building inside the organization.
The data center workforce landscape will continue to evolve. Retention is no longer a transactional process but a strategic, people-centered leadership responsibility. Organizations that anticipate change, invest in people, and create environments where employees feel valued will be the ones best positioned to thrive in the years ahead.
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About the Author
Tim Shoemaker is a data center operations leader with extensive experience managing mission-critical environments, operational teams, staffing strategies, and organizational change. He has overseen teams through rapid growth cycles, market wage pressures, and major buildouts across multiple data center facilities. Tim is passionate about developing strong operational cultures that retain talent and reinforce reliability.
