Companies Expect Job Cuts But Not In IT

Tech staff may be insulated from further job cuts resulting from the recession according to the latest research from the government backed skills councils e-skills UK.

The survey, released late last week revealed that while some companies are expecting to continue laying off staff in the coming months, few plan to include the IT department in proposed cuts, the organisation claims.

“Almost one quarter of firms anticipated a decrease in their overall headcount over the coming year, though around nine out of ten firms forecast that the number of IT/Telecoms staff employed would remain unchanged,” the report stated.

But despite declaring that they would be unlikely to cut IT jobs, some firms admitted that bonuses aren’t on the cards for the foreseeable future, and hiring more IT staff would similarly be curtailed . “One fifth of companies anticipated a decrease in bonuses/other benefits for IT/Telecoms staff, while a similar number expected the budget for recruitment/ salaries to diminish over the year,” the report said.

Some businesses are obviously continuing to hire and replace staff but for those firms there are still issues when it comes to filling specific roles. “Around one in six IT/Telecoms recruiters were experiencing difficulties recruiting staff with the right skills, qualifications or experience, with the business skills of applicants most often thought to be below the level needed,” the report said.

But while times might be tight some IT professionals are still valued highly. According to the third annual Information Security Solutions Salary Survey 2009, published in April, the majority of information security professionals’ salaries have increased despite the pressure of recession.

Over half (56 per cent) of more than 600 contract and permanent survey respondents had received a pay increase in the last 12 months. This was in contrast to 38 per cent, who said their salary had remained the same, the survey stated.