More Than Half of Tech Leaders in Canada Plan to Expand Teams in 2020; Project-Based Hires a Priority as Talent Pool Remains Tight

• 87% of technology leaders say it's challenging to find IT talent in their area
• Top business priorities include bolstering cybersecurity and upskilling staff
• Almost all IT hiring managers plan to hire interim professionals

TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2019 /CNW/ - Technology recruitment in Canada will grow in the first half of the new year, but hiring challenges persist, suggests a new survey from staffing firm Robert Half Technology. According to the latest State of Tech Hiring research from Robert Half, 54 per cent of IT decision makers anticipate expanding their team in the next six months. Almost all (95 per cent) tech leaders surveyed are confident in their company's prospects for growth in the first half of 2020. 

Respondents cited the following technical skills as immediately needed for their organizations: 

Let's get technical (CNW Group/Robert Half Technology)

1. Cybersecurity 
2. Cloud (computing, security, architecture)  
3. Business intelligence and reporting services
4. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation (Oracle/PeopleSoft, SAP)
5. DevOps

Nearly all IT managers polled (96 per cent) said they plan to bring on interim professionals. Of those, 60 per cent say hiring consultants is part of their overall hiring strategy and 55 per cent will look to temporary staff if a role becomes vacant and isn't filled quickly.

Below, technology leaders ranked their strategic and staffing priorities for the first half of 2020:

Strategic	Staffing
1.  Maintaining security and safeguarding company information	1.  Training and upskilling current talent
2.  Automating processes to increase productivity and reduce costs	2.  Attracting new talent
3.  Digital transformation projects/initiatives	3.  Retention of my existing team

"Top tech candidates are receiving multiple job offers simultaneously, which means IT leaders need to make quick hiring decisions or risk losing skilled talent to competitors ― an adaptive and efficient process is key," said Deborah Bottineau, district president of Robert Half Technology. "To avoid prolonged vacancies, managers should consider bringing on project-based tech professionals who can help keep productivity up in the interim and prevent heavier workloads from overwhelming the rest of the team."

"With the rising need for professionals with cybersecurity, cloud and business intelligence skills, tech leaders need to make sure they're providing an attractive overall package to skilled applicants," added Bottineau. "In addition to offering competitive compensation and benefits, fostering a strong organizational culture that promotes professional development goes a long way for companies looking to boost recruitment and retention of in-demand IT workers."

About the Research  
The online survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by a leading independent research firm. The biannual report is based on responses from more than 270 IT decision makers in Canada. Respondents were screened to have hiring authority for the information systems or information technology department of a company. 

About Robert Half Technology
With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at roberthalf.ca/technology. Visitors can also request a copy of the Robert Half Technology 2020 Salary Guide.

SOURCE Robert Half Technology

Natasha Ferraro, 647-956-5575, [email protected]