IT chiefs braced for staff jumping ship in 2011

Staff retention and skills top list of concerns...

IT directors have identified staff retention as the top challenge facing their business in 2011.

The lack of skilled tech workers on the jobs market means 85 per cent of IT directors surveyed by ReThink Recruitment are concerned about staff retention this year.

According to the survey, business demand for IT skills escalated throughout 2010 as tech projects mothballed during the downturn were restarted.

The subsequent increase in IT workload resulted in 41 per cent of IT chiefs increasing their department's headcount in 2010, compared with 32 per cent in 2009.

Staff turnover is on the increase, according to the research, rising to 11 per cent in 2010 from nine per cent in 2009.

Escalating demand for IT skills is making CIOs concerned about retaining tech staff in 2011
Photo: Shutterstock

In a statement, Michael Bennett, director of ReThink Recruitment, said: "There isn't a vast pool of unemployed talent for IT directors to go fishing in, as skills need to be very specific and regularly updated," adding that employers should consider training, promotions and wage rises as ways of retaining tech staff.

Techie wages are on the rise with more than half, 51 per cent, of respondents confirming a pay increase for permanent IT staff in 2010.

Recruitment of IT staff is expected to slow in 2011, with 80 per cent of IT bosses predicting that headcount will increase or stay the same.