Singapore CIOs face IT skills shortage

95% want to innovate but are constrained by hiring difficulties.

A new study by Robert Half shows that while 95% of chief Information Officers (CIOs) are implementing measures to boost innovation in their company over the next 12 months, hiring skilled IT staff remain a key challenge.

According to the study, the overall majority of Singaporean companies are taking measures to boost innovation with an approach that consists of a combination of both technology and people. Data infrastructure tops the list with more than half (55 per cent) of the Singaporean CIOs planning to build more data centres to leverage data more efficiently. Human capital comes in second as almost half (47 per cent) plan to hire new IT talent with unique skills for the purpose of building a more innovative business.

In boosting human capital however, all of the Singapore CIOs surveyed said that it is challenging to find skilled IT staff.

To address this, having an innovative corporate culture could serve as a point of difference to attract and retain top IT talent.

“Singapore's skilled IT professionals are keen for opportunities where they can have a meaningful impact by developing and driving innovation so they are more attracted to companies who are expertly communicating their focus on innovation. Given the current IT skills shortage, companies with a visibly innovative culture therefore have an advantage over their competitors in attracting and retaining the best IT employees,” said Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, Managing Director Robert Half Singapore.