IT Teams Not Fully Prepared: Randstad Technologies Reveals Millennial Workforce Is Driving Corporate IT Strategies

ATLANTA, June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- IT executives across the country report the surge of millennials in the workforce is reshaping business environments and driving IT departments to adapt their infrastructures with millennial-friendly technologies, including mobility, cloud, big data and social media, according to a new study by Randstad Technologies and IDG Research Services. While two-thirds of IT leaders say they have or are formulating a plan to address millennials' technology needs, one-third of respondents admit they have not addressed millennial-related technology issues in any formal way.

Of particular concern for IT departments is the significant gap between what millennials want from workplace technology and what IT departments currently offer. For example, only one-third of organizations report they are extremely or very confident that their existing IT staff levels and skillsets can support the "millennial shift," which is defined as the reshaping of everything from communication and technology to innovation, both inside and outside of an organization.

"Millennials have grown up in a digital society with technology touching almost every aspect of their lives," said Bob Dickey, Group President of Technology and Engineering, Randstad Technologies. "As a result, millennials want to have the same technological capabilities in the workplace as they have in their personal lives. To attract and retain millennial talent, IT leaders need to rapidly adopt current and forward-thinking technologies into their infrastructures. Organizations that are unable to support millennials' IT needs may see greater turnover and experience more difficulty recruiting top talent from this demographic of the workforce."                                                                 

The Randstad Technologies and IDG Research Services survey of IT leaders, including CIOs, CTOs, directors and IT architects, examined respondents' perceptions about and plans for reshaping business and IT strategies to meet the millennial shift. The survey pinpoints the essential technologies IT department need to support the shift and where organizations plan to invest:

Mobile technology is most essential to supporting the millennial shift
More than three-fourths (78 percent) of IT leaders have seen an increase in their organization's mobile/remote workforce, which helps explain why "mobility" rated highest among IT leaders as a technology needed to support the millennial shift, being selected by 70 percent of respondents. Additionally, 60 percent of IT leaders plan to increase investments in mobile within the next year.

Communication and collaboration tools required to address evolving work styles 
More than half (57 percent) of IT leaders view communication and collaboration tools as essential to supporting the millennial shift, and 43 percent of IT leaders plan to place more investments in these technologies. Communication/collaboration tools are not only important to supporting millennials who favor working in teams (on site or remotely), but also Baby Boomers who may want to remain in the workforce as part-time employees or consultants.

Additionally, with the growing trend of individuals choosing contract and independent work over traditional full-time jobs with a single employer, it is important for organizations to embrace reliable communication and collaboration tools. Yet, only 22 percent of respondents use integrated technologies to centralize learning content and knowledge transfer, and of those who have yet to develop centralized knowledge transfer, only 42 percent say they already are or will be addressing the issue in the next 12 months.

Security management must evolve to support new technologies
Companies recognize that new technologies create new security concerns, and 43 percent of IT departments consider security management as essential to supporting the millennial shift. In addition, 51 percent of respondents plan to increase investments in security management systems over the next year.

Cloud computing will support the desire to work anywhere, anytime
Millennial workers already use cloud-based email and project management systems, so it is no surprise that 40 percent of organizations recognize that cloud computing is a requirement to meet changing workplace dynamics. Forty-nine percent of respondents say they will invest or increase investments in cloud computing over the next year.

Bob Dickey continued, "Our survey found that to effectively change their technology infrastructure, IT departments need employees who are skilled in security, data analytics, cloud and data integration. Because of the current IT skills shortage, companies often outsource projects to service providers and contractors so they can consistently maintain current technologies and ultimately help attract the best talent to their organizations." 

For more information about the Randstad Technologies millennial report titled "Preparing for the Millennial Shift," visit https://www.randstadusa.com/workforce360/workforce-insights/top-10-ways-millennials-are-transforming-it-departments/270/.

About Randstad Technologies
Randstad Technologies has been connecting top companies around the globe with the expert technology talent and solutions that drives their success since 1984. Our deep industry expertise and full-service capabilities—Recruitment, Consulting, Projects and Outsourcing—enable organizations to be agile, productive and ahead in the field with their wide network of specialists and flexible solutions. For more information, visit www.randstadtechnologies.com.

About Randstad US
Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $22.9 billion global provider of HR services. As the third largest staffing organization in the United States, Randstad provides temporary, temporary-to-hire and permanent placement services each week to over 100,000 people through its network of more than 900 branches and client-dedicated locations. Employing over 5,300 recruiting experts, the company is a top provider of outsourcing, staffing, consulting and projects and workforce solutions within the areas of Engineering, Finance and Accounting, Healthcare, Human Resources, IT, Legal, Manufacturing & Logistics, Office & Administration, Pharma and Sales & Marketing.

Learn more at www.randstadusa.com and access Randstad's panoramic U.S. thought leadership knowledge center through its Workforce360 site that offers valuable insight into the latest economic indicators and HR trends shaping the world of work.

Survey Methodology
This survey was fielded by IDG Research Services from October 31, 2014 to November 11, 2014 as an online questionnaire with 134 qualified completes. To complete this survey, respondents were required to hold specific IT job titles and be part of a 1,000+ employee organization that has been impacted by the "millennial shift" in the workplace to some extent.

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SOURCE Randstad Technologies

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