Resource needs

Each year we ask whether responders consider they have enough resources to fulfil their organisation’s needs for the forthcoming year. The number is always low. In 2022 only 10% of leaders and 9% of professionals felt they had what they needed. For 2023 this has reduced for leaders and slightly increased for digital professionals at 7% and 11% respectively.

Some of the comments delved further, mentioning the value of ‘business change teams to ready the business for new tech’; and ‘enhanced change management capability to drive through behavioural changes’.

On the capability gaps issue we look at verbatim comments. Interestingly, despite the swing in priorities from cloud toward cybersecurity, it was cloud that drew the most concern about capability gaps. Business understanding, data and cybersecurity also figured significantly. Things such as the metaverse and blockchain were mentioned, but less frequently.

Addressing the gaps

In response to judging the additional resources they think they will need to achieve their priorities, IT leaders and digital professionals have the same top three. These are: ‘enhanced IT capability and skills in the existing workforce’; ‘increased budget’; and ‘additional employed IT staff who are suitably qualified’. The only real difference here was in the third placed resource (second for IT leaders): ‘additional employed IT staff who are suitably qualified’ – 45% of digital professionals considered this important, but 53% of leaders – this was the biggest gap in perception in the section.

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We got some comments on filling the gaps that had larger ramifications. One person wrote simply ‘restructure’, another noted a role for ‘internal advocacy’ and another even responded, ‘preparing to move out of the UK’. That would be worthy of pursuing, but, of course, these comments are anonymous.