Exciting news for IT professionals...

According to a recent survey conducted by Gartner, an astounding 81% of CIOs in large enterprises are planning to expand their IT teams this year.

This indicates a strong demand for tech talent and highlights the significance of attracting and retaining skilled professionals in the industry. The survey, which included 501 respondents, including 182 large enterprise CIOs from around the world, including the APAC region, sheds light on the strategies employed by CIOs to address critical skill gaps and execute their talent strategy.

It was emphasised that despite advancements in AI, the global job impact is expected to remain neutral in the coming years due to adoption lags, implementation times, and learning curves. In fact, only 4% of the surveyed CIOs reported AI-augmented workers as contributors to technology work today. This underscores the continued importance of human expertise and the need for skilled IT professionals.

So why are CIOs planning to increase their IT headcount in 2023?

The survey reveals that 67% of large enterprise CIOs aim to grow their IT teams by at least 10% to support digital initiatives. However, economic conditions have posed challenges in hiring, with 41% of CIOs reporting slow hiring for IT roles, 35% experiencing a decrease in overall IT budget, and 29% facing an IT hiring freeze.

To combat these roadblocks, CIOs are taking proactive measures, such as relaxing geographic and role requirements, to expand their talent pipeline and fill critical technology needs.

Interestingly, the survey also highlights the reliance on full-time equivalents (FTEs) to handle digital transformation demands. Currently, full-time IT employees contribute to 56% of the work, while technology advancements like automation and AI-augmented work account for just over 9%. This reliance on FTEs is a key driver behind the decision of large enterprise CIOs to increase IT headcount in 2023.

To meet the evolving demands of the industry, CIOs are focusing on upskilling and reskilling their IT staff.

The top skills sought during the hiring process include technical skills, soft skills like communication and relationship management, and cultural fit. Cybersecurity, cloud platforms, and customer/user experience are identified as the three critical technical skills for 2023. To ensure their teams have the necessary roles, skills, and capacity, nearly half of the CIOs plan to invest in training programmes, establish fusion teams, and automate workflows.

Exciting times lie ahead for IT professionals as the industry continues to grow and evolve. Stay tuned for more insights and updates to help you navigate the ever-changing tech landscape.

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Source Information from Gartner can be found here.