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Characteristics of the modern IT workforceThe modern IT workforce must have a more strategic outlook to serve the business in a new digital era

The line between technical and strategic work is becoming more blurred. From the point a business recruits its first graduates and interns, soft skills are highly

desired, and difficult to find. Kevin King, founder of Transformation Point, says:

A higher degree of soft skills competency brings improved organisational results, and that in turn drives greater employee

engagement and retention.

In 2015, Udemy for Business reported that:

71% employers are seeing skills gaps

71% yet they are spending less than:

$350(around £230) per

year on training.

For well-qualified IT candidates, there may be a focus on technical training, yet self-nurtured soft skills are less well honed.

IT leaders must look at trends across the business when recruiting new staff,

ensuring they can connect with business users and stakeholders,

as well as respond to technical business needs.

McKinsey surveyed 713 executives:

39% said the IT department was slightly effective, or not at all effective, in driving enablement or innovation in business processes and operations.

39%

This inability to meet business needs can be a skills mismatch. If the right people aren’t recruited, digital

transformation will be delayed.

In a survey of 1,600 executives,

27% considered digital transformation to be “a matter of survival”according to MIT Sloan Management Review and Capgemini.

27%

78%78% of respondents said that achieving digital

transformation within two years would be “critical”.

according to Capgemini’s.

Digital transformation is not just about technology and services, but the direction of the company, and the goals it expects to achieve.

87% of companies see digital transformation as a

competitive opportunity,according to Capgemini’s research.

87%

Takeaways:

Most executives believe digital

transformation provides

competitive opportunities.

The modern IT workforce needs

a balance of hard and soft

skills in order to deliver strategic transformation.

Recruiting and retaining IT

staff with the right blend of

skills is proving a challenge.

Outsourcing can help the bridge

the gap and acquire the right balance of skills

quickly.