EDITOR ’ S QUESTION

NATHAN GOWER , DIRECTOR OF AUSTRALIA

AND NEW ZEALAND , BOOMI

While new working conditions have certainly played into the fierce competition , record unemployment rates , rising inflation and new budget challenges are squeezing talent across almost all sectors , from healthcare and childcare workers , right through to construction engineers and ICT professionals .

When it comes to technology jobs , CIOs are faced with a ramp-up of digitalization efforts – some of which are frantic , initiated to cope with and better prepare for the macroeconomic changes of the last two-to-three years – and not enough skilled IT professionals are available to make the most of those investments .

At the heart of it , A / NZ has typically relied on skilled migrants to catch at least half of the available jobs in the technology sector . But COVID-19 shutdowns turned off the tap , and in Australia , ICT temporary work visas fell by 50 % last year compared to prepandemic levels .

The challenge is compounded ; the race for tech talent is sending salaries skyward . While it is a win for the industry , pay increases are forming another source of pressure in hiring , onboarding , enabling and retaining technology professionals in the highly competitive market .

This means CIOs can ’ t afford processes and systems that require armies of people to manage them , nor can they afford to rely on professionals with highly niche skills who might take their expertise with them if they choose to leave .

Many decision makers are turning to low-code , highproductivity tools to combat the heat . For example , tools that make digital projects such as software development and platform integration much more approachable for non-technical professionals .

No matter which department they ’ re in , the benefits of low-code functionality extend to giving workers the technology to have an even stronger impact in their role , whether it ’ s a university administrator using software to improve student experience , someone in utilities making decisions about where to drill sustainably , or an insurer creating new services that integrate into their existing offerings .

With technology skills strained , it ’ s down to companies to simplify how teams manage the influx of digital initiatives and meet the needs of customers and employees .

Even if an organization has access to skilled IT staff , leaving them to manage complex integrations and perform repetitive administrative or other low-value manual tasks often means it won ’ t be long before those employees look for greener pastures .

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