From incorporating cyber security into practically every IT job to hiring older, more experienced workers, the IT workforce will change in 2017 based on seven distinct workforce trends, according to Randstad Technologies, a leading technology talent and solutions provider.
Based on the company’s broad experience with mid-market and large enterprises, you will see the IT workforce moving in the following directions:
The line between cyber security practitioners and IT specialists will begin to blur. Most IT staff will be required to have at least some expertise in cybersecurity. Experts now realize this is the only way to ensure that security is ubiquitous throughout networks and systems, and that security gets baked in rather than bolted on after the fact.
Mid-market businesses are constantly looking for ways to deploy sophisticated mobile technology. Whether for consumer-facing mobile applications or for managing internal workforce processes and resources, mobile developers will become some of the hottest talent hires in 2017.
Diversity in the workforce has been a major focal point of the tech industry over the past 10 years. While the emphasis has been on encouraging more women and people of different ethnicities to join the tech workforce, the definition of diversity will expand to include age and experience.
Given the tech industry’s tendency to hire young workers fresh out of college, the industry has traditionally overlooked the advantages of having older, more seasoned employees work alongside younger ones. In 2017, you can expect to see companies place greater emphasis on making great hires of all ages.
The independent workforce trend is growing rapidly and according to a recent study by MBO Partners, its 40 million strong – and computer and IT are two of the top industries for freelancers. Due to the agile, project-oriented nature of technology work and the sustained technical talent shortage, client-side demand for freelance or temporary workers will continue to increase rapidly.
Companies want greater flexibility, economy and efficiency from their workforce investments. We expect agile employees (contractor, consultant, temporary or freelance positions) to comprise as much as 50 percent of the workforce by 2019, allowing companies access to specialised talent and skillsets that fit their precise needs.
See: Rapidly Ageing Workforce and Global Talent Crunch: How Can HR Managers Deal With Uncertainties?
The first representatives of Generation Z have just entered the workforce, and they are bringing a dramatic new energy to every workplace. Among their career direction and choices, STEM-related professions are some of the most popular.
Personal technology also attracts them, and in order to satisfy Gen Z’s craving for social media engagement, companies should strongly consider incorporating wearables and virtual reality into a revived workplace.
Aided by big data and analytics, enterprises will automate certain IT functions (e.g., cybersecurity, network monitoring). However, automation won’t eliminate the need for people in the workplace. Lower-level tasks might be automated, but human intelligence will still be needed for higher-level analysis and decision-making in IT environments.
The IT field continues to boom with technological breakthroughs and innovation, and 2017 will be no different. Quickly emerging technologies such as virtual reality and the Internet of Things (IoT) will mean more demand for IT workers with specialised skills.
Along with advancement of IoT will come the need to secure devices – still a conundrum for technologists and policy makers. Enterprises will need to be agile enough to respond to shifting technology trends, both in their own workplaces and for their customers.
Also read: Guide to Braving the New Workplace with Multi-Generational Workforce: Gen X, Y and Z.
