48% of CIOs to grow tech teams in next six months: Robert Half

Nearly half of Australian tech bosses are looking to add staff to their IT teams over the next six months, as their businesses expand and new projects are rolled out, according to a new survey.

Recruiter, Robert Half spoke to 100 CIOs and CTOs with 48 per cent indicating they will add full time positions to their IT groups in the first half of 2016.

This is mostly due to business expansion and growth, according to 54 per cent of respondents. A further 43 per cent said they would increase staff numbers to support new projects, 38 per cent would hire extra staff due to a product or service expansion, and 33 per cent to support IT risk and security initiatives.

“Technology advancements are driving business change, delivering growth and innovation across multiple sectors, prompting the need for additional IT talent. There is therefore a continued demand for specialist IT roles which is set to continue in 2016,” said Robert Half’s senior managing director for Asia Pacific, David Jones.

Growth prospects for any companies are looking good, as 87 per cent of survey respondents are confident that their company will grow this year.

Finding talent with the right niche, however, remains an issue. The survey found 93 per cent are finding it hard to find IT professionals with the right skills in areas such as data/database management, software development, networking, and IT security.

“There are several opportunities for IT top professionals in today’s job market and candidates with niche skills are finding themselves in demand. More and more professionals are therefore looking for new challenges, and companies understand that they have to engage in the ‘war for talent’ to find and recruit top talent,” Jones said.

Retaining talent also adds to this challenge, the survey found. Eighty-seven per cent of CIOs/CTOs are worried their talent will jump ship when an opportunity arises this year.

“Staff retention is a top priority for businesses today. The cost of replacing a skilled employee extends beyond the monetary aspect. Employers recognise that retaining key IT staff who have strong corporate knowledge and fit the culture of the company must be a priority if they want a competitive edge,” said Jones.

The survey also found 41 per cent of respondents will be replacing vacant positions this year, one in 10 will not replace staff, and 1 per cent will make cuts.