9 in 10 CIOs want contractual IT workers

They are looking for increased staff flexibility.

According to a study by recruitment firm Robert Half, 94% of Singaporean CIOs plan to increase their temporary IT headcount in their company by an average of 17% over the next 12 months.

The demand for contract IT workers is the strongest within IT security at 44%, database management at 44%, and software & application development at 32%.

When asked about the benefits of temporary staffing, the increased flexibility offered by hiring temporary professionals without putting pressure on staff headcount is the primary driver for 57% of CIOs. This was followed by challenges relating to sourcing candidates with the required IT skillsets on a permanent basis at 56%.

Another prime motivator is cost-efficiency, which was cited by 49%. This indicates financial motivators are a key incentive behind hiring temporary staff, Robert Half said.

More than one in three at 37% say the hiring process of contract workers is faster, and 24% refer to a lack of financial resources to hire permanent employees as being the main driver for hiring more temporary IT staff.