79% of CIOs burdened by search for IT professionals: survey

The demand for contractors persists despite employers’ focus on permanent roles.

About 79% of Singaporean CIOs admitted that they find it challenging to source skilled experienced interim/contract professionals to manage digital transformation initiatives, according to an independent survey of 75 CIOs in Singapore commissioned by Robert Half.

In addition, all surveyed IT leaders regularly hire permanent employees to implement digital transformation initiatives as permanent headcount remains the backbone of Singapore’s IT department.

But despite having permanent employees make up for most of the IT industry talent, the demand for contractors also climbed. 8 in 10 (78%) said that they are hiring staff-level temporary employees whilst 7 in 10 (73%) are looking for interim employees/contractors, which could indicate that workforces are shifting to meet demand for contractors specialised in digital project management, change management and business process improvement.

Most CIOs (80%) also agreed that hiring experienced interim/contract professionals has helped their digital transformation efforts.

“IT professionals who can successfully implement a company’s digital initiatives are in high demand, placing them in a very favourable position to negotiate attractive starting salaries. A talent dilemma has arisen for companies who need to not only attract these top IT candidates, but also identify opportunities to upskill their existing employees to fill any crucial skills gaps,” said Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, managing director of Robert Half Singapore.