There are plenty of challenges and opportunities in IT – as technology changes so often, there is never a shortage of new things to learn and skills to acquire. But when it comes to new technology, IT management and staff often have different perspectives on priorities. Here are the main challenges IT professionals are facing currently and what can be done to resolve them.
Overwhelming workload
Work demands can be overwhelming both for decision-makers and IT staff. And with the current changes in the working environment, it is more important than ever that there is better management in regards to strategy and oversight that is needed to address the issue. Decision-makers need to make sure that IT staff are not missing the essential skills needed to complete assignments. Automation of key processes is one of the solutions to reduce time-consuming tasks and switch the focus on more important assignments that are of higher priority.
Cybersecurity expertise
Cyberattacks are bigger and more complicated these days and at the same time, there is a lot of demand for cybersecurity professionals. No organization can afford to take security lightly these days but one of the most challenging areas in IT hiring is exactly cybersecurity. Hiring new staff and outsourcing is not the best solution when it comes to security so the best decision is to invest in training and upskilling your current staff.
Lack of essential skills
Skills gaps can be one of the main reasons for increased stress and low performance of your employees, which leads to delays in development and deployment, and therefore – increased costs for your company. And the longer you wait, the bigger the skills gaps will become. Invest in strategic – technology is rapidly changing every day and your IT professionals need better support to stay up-to-date.
Digital disruption
Technology is no longer just providing an advantage, but professionals with the right skills are needed to be able to manage and implement all the new technologies. But the rate the tech is changing is far much faster than what more organizations and IT professionals can afford in terms of training. Apart from continuous training, there must be a prioritization of skills so that IT professionals know what type of training to focus on and pursue.
Cloud computing
Cloud skills are in high demand but the supply is short. IT professionals need to capitalize on these skills as cloud technology is one of the top investment IT areas and it is the main enabler when it comes to the newest technology like artificial intelligence and Internet of Things. Cloud professionals need not only have generic expertise but also specific skills set and training in the most engaging platforms.
Recruitment and retention
IT leaders are majorly struggling when it comes to recruitment and retention of talent especially for positions such as cybersecurity and cloud computing. One of the solutions to this issue can be more focus on experience and certifications rather than a degree that can filter out valuable candidates that have the skills set but did not graduate in the field.
Lack of budget
Not enough budget and resources are a major concern for IT professionals as it can lead to a lack of management approval for training, development, and hiring. But proper training can lead to increased revenue and lower employee turnover, so it is important to invest even on a constrained budget. Look for special offers or discounted rates and make sure that your employees are always up-to-date with the latest technology and skills.
Lack of leadership support
Even if within budget some IT decision-makers would still disapprove training as they do not think it will lead to actual benefits. And since IT professionals are keen on learning and growing in the field, this lack of leadership support can be unmotivating. And with a lack of management support, transparency, and communication comes a lack of satisfaction in employees. To avoid losing your employees because of toxic management or poor company culture, make sure to find ways to provide continual training for your staff.
Data management and analytics
Cloud computing and cybersecurity aside, this is another area with huge skill gaps. New data constantly accumulates, and organizations need to not only manage it but analyze it. There is a huge demand for data analysts but qualified professionals are in short supply. The key solution is to certify and upskill professionals that will be able to make data-driven decisions and create a culture of education.
Automation
First on this list of challenges that IT professionals are facing was the overwhelming workload. So finding more ways to automate time-consuming processes and tasks is key. But automation can be used not only for mundane activities such as email sending and social media posts but for more important tasks like cyber-attack response or cloud migration tasks.
