eWEEK DATA POINTS: In order for enterprises to stay at pace with the competition, they need to have a pulse on what the IT workforce looks like today and what their teams will need in 5-10 years to prepare and retain talent. Digital transformation has been a buzzword and a reality among the enterprise community for several years, with many companies investing in cutting-edge technology to become more agile and efficient. With its potential benefits, digital transformation is not tomorrow’s strategy but is a real and critical need now. However, this transition requires specialized IT skills that are challenging to find in light of today’s tight labor market. In order for enterprises to stay abreast of their competitors, they need to have a pulse on what the IT workforce looks like today and what their teams will need in five to 10 years to prepare and retain talent. As an on-demand, online talent platform, Upwork has a birds’ eye-view on how the workforce is evolving. Tech is the largest category on the platform (everything from mobile development to information security and network admin), and executives are seeing a lot of demand driven by digital transformation initiatives In this eWEEK Data Points article, Upwork VP of Engineering and Product Mike Paylor offers five freelancing workforce trends to watch and what they reveal about the larger tech industry. Data 1: Distributed Teams At this critical moment in the talent war, “location” should not be an obstacle for hiring. According to Upwork’s Future Workforce Report , younger-generation managers are 28% more likely than their Baby Boomer counterparts to include remote workers on their teams. Additionally, with the current attempts to contain the spread of COVID-19, we are seeing early signs that this could accelerate businesses adjusting to allow for distributed work. Teams that put the right infrastructure and processes in place to be remote, will not only have a competitive advantage for talent, but will be set-up for success when it comes to longer term talent strategy. By not confining your business to a specific location, it opens the door to a larger and diverse talent pool, as well as unlocks more economic opportunities. Data Point 2: Upskilling with Independent Professionals With an evolving skills gap, enterprise companies are needing to look for unique ways to attract and retain the right talent. One way is to implement internal programs that provide current employees with education and new training to reskill. Another option is to hire external independent professionals who are equipped with the specific skills employers are looking for. Independent workers recognize that they are business owners and as such, they are more inclined to refine and grow their skills to stay competitive. According to Upwork’s “ Freelancing in America ” survey, “independent professionals are twice as likely as employees to have done skills training in the previous 6 months.” Data Point 3: An Increase in Cloud Experts In order to understand what enterprises are prioritizing in terms of technology, just take […]
