Organisations to experience disruptions due to skills gaps
Two-thirds of organisations are not adequately addressing the infrastructure and operations (I&O) skills gaps that will impede their digital business initiatives, according to Gartner, Inc. Successful I&O organisations will need to implement vastly different roles and technologies during the next five years. Gartner forecasts that, by 2019, IT technical specialist hires will fall by more than 5 per cent. Moreover, by 2021, 40 per cent of IT staff will hold multiple roles, most of which will be business-related rather than technology-related.
“What made I&O leaders successful in the past is not what will make them thrive in the future," said Hank Marquis, research director at Gartner. "Instead of focusing on the 'what' of I&O jobs — such as technical knowledge, education and training — I&O leaders need to shift their focus to the 'how' — the behavioural competencies required."
According to Marquis, IT operations organisations are being forced to redefine their roles and value propositions from those of technology providers, to become trusted advisors and differentiated business partners. The challenge is that most I&O professionals do not yet have the broad skillsets that organisations will need from them.
Gartner predicts that, by 2020, 75 per cent organisations will experience visible business disruptions due to I&O skills gaps, which is an increase from less than 20 per cent in 2016. Given the lack of digital dexterity for hire, I&O leaders must begin by developing these skills with the talent they already have. Most companies don't have an accurate inventory of the available skills of their current IT workforces, so this must be a first step.
“Corporate digital business universities will eventually emerge to close the skills gap. Experience-based career paths with formal mentoring for and within I&O will become standard for individual development," said Marquis. "In the meantime, I&O leaders should work hand-in-hand with HR to shift away from position-based development, develop a tactical skills gap analysis, and utilise tools and methods for improving I&O skills in-house."