Shelved Technology Projects to Proceed -- CIOs Surveyed Plan to Move Forward
With Upgrades, Other Initiatives

TORONTO, March 16 /CNW/ - Technology executives are signaling a readiness to make critical IT investments, a new survey shows. Nearly one-third (30 per cent) of chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed said, post-recession, they plan to implement software and hardware upgrades that had been deferred due to a soft economy. Others foresee moving forward with virtualization projects (16 per cent) and website design initiatives (11 per cent) as conditions improve.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology (IT) professionals on a project and full-time basis. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with 270 CIOs from companies across Canada with 100 or more employees.

CIOs were asked, "Which IT projects, if any, did you put on hold in 2009 due to the economy that you plan to implement post-recession?" Their responses*:

    
    Software or hardware upgrades...................... 30%
    Virtualization..................................... 16%
    Website design..................................... 11%
    Internal collaboration/technology tools............  7%
    Cloud computing....................................  5%
    Company-branded social media sites.................  5%
    Other..............................................  1%
    *Multiple responses permitted
    

"Many companies looking to take advantage of the economic rebound will implement software and hardware upgrades to improve efficiency and manage costs," said Megan Slabinski, president of Robert Half Technology's Canadian operations. "Companies that have been working with lean IT teams are benefiting from the exceptional talent that is currently available."

The plan to move forward with new technology initiatives is good news for IT job seekers, Slabinski added. "As companies launch previously delayed initiatives, highly skilled professionals are required on a full-time and project basis to manage initiatives ranging from system installations to network support."

    
    About the Survey
    ----------------
    

The Canadian survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. The survey is based on 270 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of Canadian companies with 100 or more employees. In order for the survey to be statistically representative, the sample was stratified by industry and number of employees.

    
    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 www.rht.com. Follow Robert Half Technology on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RobertHalfTech.

For further information: Robert Half Technology, Suite 820, 181 Bay Street, Toronto, ON, M5J 2T3, Contact: Kristie Perrotte, [phone], [email protected]