43% of Irish C-suite business leaders don’t think they have adequate staffing resources to meet current business needs.
Close to half (43%) of Irish business leaders admit they don’t have enough staff to meet business needs and one-third (33%) don’t think they have the adequate tech to satisfy business demands.
The study, commissioned by I.T. Alliance Resourcing Services, and carried out by Censuswide, revealed that 45% of C-suite executives in larger companies or enterprises (more than 250 employees) across Ireland are hoping to increase staffing in 2023.
“While businesses don’t want to overestimate requirements around resources, as many have done in recent years, they also can’t afford to pass up opportunities to drive growth due to a lack of people or skills”
The sectors where hiring is most likely were found to be healthcare (88%), finance (67%), and HR (67%).
Are firms planning to downsize?
Meanwhile, 46% of business leaders are in the process of rightsizing their team and the same proportion (46%) are reviewing their workspace requirements with plans to either reduce or close office space in 2023.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the lack of resources, 46% have witnessed employee burnout in their organisation. In terms of the sectors where this was most prevalent, manufacturing and utilities came out top (71%), followed by finance (67%) and HR (67%).
Among the business leaders surveyed, more than one in three (35%) have suffered from burnout themselves. Those working in healthcare were most impacted (63%).
At the other end of the spectrum, 39% of business leaders admitted to facing issues around quiet quitting (a trend where employees put no more effort into their jobs than is absolutely necessary).
Despite these challenges, almost half (44%) of business leaders are optimistic their business will grow in 2023 and 52% don’t think there will be a recession. The optimism around business growth in 2023 was highest among respondents working in HR (67%), arts and culture (60%), and IT and telecoms (55%).
“The world of work has undoubtedly changed with hybrid workstyles remaining at the fore for many Irish organisations,” said Paul Schmitz, group sales director at I.T. Alliance.
“As well as workstyles, business leaders are currently reviewing their requirements around workforces and workspaces to find the best way forward, plan for the future and ensure they can fulfil their own objectives.
“With this in mind, coupled with the current economic climate and the ever-present skills gap, it’s clear that companies need to be more fluid and agile than ever when it comes to their resourcing capabilities. This means balancing the current demand for services and their long-term plans, which can be incredibly difficult.
“While businesses don’t want to overestimate requirements around resources, as many have done in recent years, they also can’t afford to pass up opportunities to drive growth due to a lack of people or skills. By engaging with resourcing partners, businesses can better plan their strategies and budgets, while taking advantage of the ability to scale up or down for projects as and when needed.”
Main image at top: Paul Schmitz, group sales director at I.T. Alliance
