Salesforce Admins have seen their role change dramatically over the last decade, transforming from an accessible entry-level job to an admineloper-esque, wear-all-the-hats multitasker who is responsible for tech stacks that continue to get larger and more complex.
Naturally, this was always going to affect satisfaction rates. The latest SF Ben Salesforce Admin Survey revealed that over half of respondents are considering moving into a non-admin role within the next two years, likely linked to mounting pressure and expectations. Does this mean that the admin role is now facing a retention problem? Let’s find out.
The Modern Admin vs. The Traditional Admin
When people reference the way the admin role has changed, it often focuses on answering two questions: are admins being pushed closer to development, or are they being automated out of the build process?
As my colleague Thomas Morgan covered, anecdotal evidence from admins in the ecosystem suggests that admins are being pushed to be more expansive rather than more technical. Although a wide breadth of technical knowledge is never a drawback, the way admins now operate is very different. In his words, the admin is “becoming more visible, more exposed, and more consequential.”
Now, admins are often required to “operate upstream”, questioning requirements, being increasingly solution-oriented, and delivering on business needs through appropriate platform decisions.
Compared to the ‘traditional’ Salesforce Admin, the role of the modern admin is almost entirely different. Artificial intelligence has also played a considerable part in reshaping the role – not necessarily eliminating it as many people worry about – but changing the job description just that bit more.
As SF Ben Technical Writer Tim Combridge put it: “It’s not so much the tasks that are being taken away, it’s how you do them.”
It is almost certain that the role will continue to evolve as AI develops, too. Going forward, we could see the admin role change to include more responsibilities like platform observability and AI governance. Admins will likely play a slightly different role in terms of org monitoring, making sure shadow AI does not become a problem, and that tech stacks are operating seamlessly.
Is There a Retention Problem?
If one thing is for certain, it’s that the admin role now comes with more responsibilities. There is an ongoing discussion about whether or not Salesforce Admins are now actually being asked to do too much, with the consensus that yes, they are, but it’s the scope of tasks that is the problem, rather than the technicality.
The results from our latest admin survey prove this, too. Over half of respondents (53.1%) agree that too much is being expected of them, and dissatisfaction is apparently highest among experienced professionals. Specifically, 33% of respondents with 15 or more years of experience report being less satisfied compared to 12 months ago.
Not only that, but 60% of respondents are considering moving into a non-Salesforce admin role within the next two years. This is a significant trend, signalling that a large-scale retention problem is either already happening or will happen in the near future.
Although it is difficult to determine whether or not the ecosystem is currently experiencing an admin retention problem, we can, however, begin to understand which roles admins would want to gravitate toward.
When asked which responsibilities should be shifted away from admins to reduce workload pressure, respondents to our survey most frequently identified business analysis (44.2%), followed by project management (40.4%) and user training and documentation (37.3%).
Based on this, it is likely that admins would not necessarily aim to move into a Project Manager or Business Analyst role. Instead, something like the architect role – which admins can transition into over time – is perhaps a more sought-after role.
Navigating Satisfaction Levels
Although there is likely going to be an admin retention problem in the ecosystem, it is evident that community sentiments cannot be grouped solely as positive or negative.
Matvei Arkhipov, a trainee Salesforce Admin, told SF Ben that he sees a real appeal for the role due to the mix of technology, problem-solving, and helping businesses improve the way they work.
“Even in the projects and opportunities I’ve been involved with so far, I’ve enjoyed seeing how Salesforce can be used to simplify processes and create better outcomes for users,” he said. “It’s a field that offers continuous learning and growth, which is something I find very appealing.
“At this stage, I’m focused on moving into and developing my career as a Salesforce Admin rather than moving away from it. Rather than leaving the admin role behind, I see it as an important stepping stone for broader responsibilities in the future.”
A Reddit thread on r/Salesforce recently explored varied admin sentiments, with the original poster asking, “anyone else tired of being an admin?”
The thread provided a realistic view of the situation, highlighting that where satisfaction was low, it was counteracted by the fact that holding onto any job is difficult in this current economic climate – including the admin role.
“I’m getting tired of it too, but these days I’m just happy to have a job,” one person wrote.
“I love being an admin, but I hate being paid like one when I’m expected to do the work of a BA, PM, and architect,” another person wrote. “If you want me to do the work of an entire department by myself, then pay me what you’d pay four people.”
Salary always plays a significant role in job satisfaction, and according to our most recent salary survey, a majority (57.7%) of all respondents still feel their salary is fair and equal compared to others in similar roles. This is despite the fact that admins, along with functional consultants, reported the highest rate of pay decreases among the ten most common roles. For admins, 50.7% reported a decrease in pay, while only 21.4% saw an increase.
This sheds a very necessary light on not only satisfaction levels across the admin role but tech roles in general. Satisfaction may be waning, but in this job market and economy, do professionals feel like they can move on from positions they are no longer interested in?
Final Thoughts
So, is there a retention problem with Salesforce Admins? Well, if there isn’t one already, most signs point toward there being one in the near future.
A considerable number of current admins appear to be getting ready to jump ship, and it’s clear that satisfaction levels are… unsatisfactory. However, respect for the role and what it can look like remains intact, and it does not appear to be disappearing anytime soon.
