IT Teams Struggle To Make Right Tech Hires

Automation, bots, blockchain — the deluge of technologies flooding the enterprise today can be overwhelming. This week’s B2B Data Digest takes the pulse of companies’ technology adoption, with researchers at Deloitte, FedEx and others finding that executives feel blockchain is overrated, machine learning moving front and center, and IT professionals struggling to find the right tech-savvy talent.

Fifty percent of financial executives believe cryptocurrency will become somewhat common for business transactions in the next five years, according to a survey by Robert Half Finance & Accounting. Reports in Total Security Daily Advisor covered the survey findings, which explored how blockchain and cryptocurrencies are impacting the accounting and finance functions of corporations. Though a significant portion of the 2,000 professionals surveyed anticipate cryptocurrency disruption, some respondents said they don’t believe the impact will occur until blockchain and cryptocurrency are regulated. According to Robert Half Global Executive Director Steve Saah, companies could struggle in readying for these changes due to the “talent gap,” as too few blockchain experts are available for employers.

Ninety-eight percent year-over-year growth in online searches for “machine learning” signals a pressing need for organizations to quickly educate themselves and adopt the technology, according to O’Reilly Research. The business training and technology company also witnessed increases in searches for terms related to artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning. Analysts surveyed more than 11,400 data professionals and decision-makers, and concluded that companies considered to be “sophisticated” in their use of machine learning tend to treat the technology as a distinct discipline, with its own processes and personnel.

Thirty-nine percent of executives told Deloitte that blockchain is “overhyped.” In its 2018 blockchain report, a survey of 1,000 executives educated on blockchain technology across the globe revealed significant doubt in blockchain’s potential. In the U.S., the percentage of professionals doubting the technology increased from 34 percent in 2016 to 44 percent this year, according to reports in CCN. Despite the sentiment, Deloitte said that the blockchain industry remains in its early years, and that “these fits and starts in its maturation are not surprising.”

Ninety-eight percent of IT professionals said they have made a bad hire, according to Robert Half Technology. The firm surveyed 270 IT decision-makers in Canada to assess how organizations are bolstering their technology investments with new hires. In the report, IT executives pointed to accurately assessing technical skills when interviewing potential hires as the most difficult part of the process: 30 percent of professionals said the “bad hire” had inadequate skills for the job.

Ninety-five percent of Vietnamese small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are adopting digital platforms, ranking the Asia-Pacific market with the highest technology adoption rate, according to FedEx. The company commissioned a report, “Global is the New Local: The Changing International Trade Patterns of Small Businesses in Asia-Pacific,” to examine how the region’s small businesses are embracing digitization. China ranked third, while Japan came in at the bottom of the list with only 30 percent of SMBs adopting digital channels. Vietnam also topped the list in SMBs’ usage of Industry 4.0 technologies, while Japan again came in last place in terms of adoption of Industry 4.0 tools like mobile payments, Big Data and analytics. In a statement, FedEx Express Malaysia Managing Director S.C. Chong said it is “critical” for small businesses take advantage of innovations to expand into new markets and improve customer experience.