U.S. CIOs Reveal Hiring Plans

The just-released Robert Half TechnologyIT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report shows that 16 percent of U.S. chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed recently plan to expand their IT teams in the first half of 2014. This is up 5 points compared to projections from the previous six-month period (July-December 2013). Another 67 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles, 15 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 2 percent expect to reduce their IT staffing levels in the first six months of the year.

The surveys were developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. In order for the study to ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper number of employees in the U.S. Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis and has been tracking IT hiring activity in the United States since 1995.

Key findings include:

Recruiting Challenges
In terms of recruiting, 63 percent of U.S. CIOs said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals today, compared to 68 percent in the last half of 2013. It is most challenging to find skilled talent in the functional areas of networking (17 percent), security (14 percent) and help desk/technical support (13 percent).

Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments
The survey results suggest U.S. CIOs are becoming more optimistic about their companies' growth and IT investments. Eighty-eight percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the first six months of 2014. This compares to 86 percent in the last half of 2013.

Sixty-nine percent of CIOs also said they are confident that their firms will invest in IT projects in the first half of 2014. This compares to 63 percent in the last six months of 2013.

Skills in Demand
Fifty-seven percent of U.S. technology executives surveyed said that network administration is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Windows administration and desktop support followed, each with 51 percent of the response.

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More Firms Allowing Employees To Shop Online While At Work

More employees may be bagging holiday bargains on the job this holiday season, a new survey suggests. Sixteen percent of chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed by staffing firm Robert Half Technology said they give their workers unrestricted access to online shopping sites — up from 10 percent last year. More than half (54 percent) said they allow on-the-job online shopping but monitor activity for excessive use. Less than one-third (29 percent) of CIOs said their firms block access to online shopping sites — down slightly from 33 percent a year ago.

The survey is based on more than 2,300 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies in 23 major metro areas with 100 or more employees. Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis.

CIOs were asked, "What is your company's policy regarding employees shopping online while at work?" Their responses:                

	2012	2013
Block access to online shopping sites	33%	29%
Allow access but monitor for excessive use	55%	54%
Allow unrestricted access	10%	16%
Other/ don't know	2%	1%

Robert Half Technology offers three tips for employees who might shop online at the office this holiday season:

Understand the policy. Don't assume your company's web policy is unrestrictive just because you haven't gotten official word. Check the company handbook, and ask around. If the policy is not clear, play it safe and use non-work times like your lunch hour to shop.

Don't get 'lost in cyberspace.' With all the deals on Cyber Monday, you may be tempted to spend hours on end scooping up bargains. If your goal is to shop until you drop, take a vacation day.   

Limit online 'window shopping.' Conduct product research and price comparisons on your own time so you can make online purchases quickly — and get back to work faster.

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