Over three quarters (76%) of those looking to fill IT roles report difficulty in doing so.
It is like a frustrating game of hide and seek.
To be fair, if it’s any consolation, it isn’t just IT!
A survey by Manpower Group suggests that worldwide, across all industry sectors and company sizes, the average declaring difficulties finding talent is about 75%, and in the UK it’s even higher – 80%.
So, if your job is to resource IT projects – you’re doing so in both a sector and a country where you are up against above average talent shortages! You deserve a medal … or a stiff drink!
NOTHING NEW
Talent shortages are nothing new…
… it feels like every year, around this time, we look collectively ahead to the challenges we think our industry will face in the next 12 months and issues around recruitment are high on the list…
… it just seems to be becoming an increasingly pressing issue!
Anecdotally, as a Project Management as a Service resources provider, it feels like the fastest growing reason clients are reaching out IS the gap between talent need and availability.
PMaaS talent can certainly help bridge your talent gaps.
THE GROWING IT TALENT SHORTAGE
Talent shortages in IT project management are increasingly becoming a critical issue, and this could be driven by several factors:
1 – Explosion of Digital Transformation Initiatives
As businesses rush to adopt cloud solutions, AI, and other transformative technologies, the demand for project managers with expertise in IT has surged. However, the supply of professionals with the required technical and managerial skills has not kept pace.
2 – High Turnover and Increasing Competition
IT professionals, including (and especially) project managers and business analysts, are in high demand, leading to frequent churn, job changes and bidding wars between companies. Small and mid-sized businesses, in particular, struggle to compete with larger enterprises.
As IT becomes the beating heart of most businesses, the skillset of an IT project manager is becoming more valuable and desirable to an ever-expanding range of suitors.
3 – Time and Cost of Recruitment
Hiring experienced project managers can take months, often leaving critical strategic projects under-resourced. The costs of recruitment, training, onboarding, not to mention the benefits needed to attract the right talent can put extra strains on company budgets. Many employers have carried out cost benefit analysis and concluded that it’s in their interests to retain their talent, making it harder to lure them to you.
… so the competition is enticing your talent away while making it less attractive to their existing talent to leave and join you.
PMAAS: A SOLUTION TO TALENT SHORTAGES
What is PMaaS?
PMaaS or Project Management as a Service is an innovative way to procure IT project management resources and services; and an alternative to traditional permanent hires or using contractors.
Stoneseed’s PMaaS model provides access to project professionals, resources and tools at a flexible and predictable cost. Our services portfolio offers a true end to end service, from IT Technical Advisory, Business Analysis Services and PMO Services through to Programme & Project Delivery.
PMaaS can provide your organisations with access to a network of experienced IT project management professionals who can step in to manage projects on a temporary or ongoing basis. It can help address talent shortages in a number of ways:
1 – Fill Critical Skill Gaps Quickly
PMaaS connects and aligns your strategic business goals with project managers who specialise in delivering the IT projects to manifest them. PMaaS can ensure that the right expertise is available – without a lengthy hiring process. This is particularly valuable when undergoing rapid change!
2 – On-Demand Scalability
When you experience fluctuating project demands, like during product launches or infrastructure overhauls, you need to adapt quickly. PMaaS can provide a flexible workforce that scales up or down as needed, eliminating the challenge of long-term staffing shortages.
3 – Reducing Recruitment Bottlenecks
Instead of spending months in search of the perfect permanent hire, or the cost of luring them from a competitor, PMaaS delivers pre-vetted professionals who are ready to start immediately, mitigating the risk of project delays due to unfilled positions.
4 – Lowering Costs While Ensuring Expertise
Hiring full-time project managers during a talent shortage can drive up costs significantly. PMaaS provides access to top-tier talent without the overhead of full-time salaries, benefits, and training and onboarding expenses.
5 – Your Key Talent Can Focus on Strategic Objectives
With PMaaS, you can redirect internal resources to strategic goals while experienced project managers handle day-to-day execution. This alleviates pressure on teams already stretched thin due to staffing shortages.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A PROJECT MANAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PARTNER
1 – Are they called Stoneseed?
OK, cheeky opener, but Stoneseed employs a team of Project Management and Technical Professionals, delivering services through a flexible, on-demand resourcing model. From strategy to programme and project delivery, this cost-effective model for project delivery is underpinned by Stoneseed’s PMO, methodology and toolset.
All Stoneseed’s PMaaS services including Project Managers, Business Analysts, Technical Advisory and PMO experts are available onsite or remote (in fact we are experts in remote access Project Management) offering rapid response resources. You can align resources as and when you need it, on a cost effective, full-time or part-time basis.
And … we’ve been doing this for over 15 years now … so your projects are in a safe pair of hands.
2 – Always Clearly Define Project Needs
Ensure the provider understands the scope, goals, and skill requirements for your project/portfolio. At Stoneseed we constantly seek ways to develop our client propositions to meet your challenges and view all clients as partners – that means that we thoroughly understand your needs before even suggesting a resource or service.
3 – Evaluate Potential PMaaS Providers Thoroughly
Look for a proven track record, ask for and check references and testimonials.
Did I mention that we’ve been doing this for over 15 years? I did!? Ok, did I mention our glowing customer feedback?
Lastly, ask a potential partner about their company values! They should be able to share these instantly or, even better, have them as a downloadable pdf on their website!
4 – Insist On And Establish Robust Communication
Regular updates and transparent reporting mechanisms ensure alignment and project success – Stoneseed’s innovative P3MO platform and robust PMO protocols deliver this for our clients – ask how your PMaaS partner will achieve this.
5 – Measure Morale Of Incoming PMaaS Talent
The right PMaaS resource can have a transformative effect on your team, lifting morale and motivation and increasing productivity. On the other hand, bringing a “mood Hoover” into your team can suck the life out of it. Don’t be afraid to ask the PMaaS provider to introduce you to talent ahead of signing up to their service, you can even ask for talent testimonials like you would client ones. A great question is to ask potential PMaaS partners about their employee values – a PMaaS provider worth their salt will happily provide all of this or better yet, post them up front on their website!
At Stoneseed, we recognise and support the contribution of all our colleagues, offering a safe, enjoyable and constructive working environment and a healthy work-life balance. Our culture is one of openness, honesty and transparency. We recognise and support the well-being needs of colleagues and clients and lead and manage with integrity.
CONCLUSION: PMAAS A STRATEGIC RESPONSE TO IT TALENT SHORTAGES
IT project management talent shortages show no signs of abating, but your business can’t afford to delay critical IT led initiatives.
PMaaS offers an agile, cost-effective solution that keeps projects on track, regardless of internal, industry or global staffing challenges.
By bridging skill gaps, providing scalability, and ensuring access to best-in-class talent, PMaaS allows your organisations to focus on innovation and growth rather than navigate the complexities and costs of hiring talent.
Stoneseed provides a comprehensive range of Programme Management, Project Management, Business Analysis, Technical Advisory and PMO/PSO resources, our memberships and accreditations include PRINCE2, Project Management Institute, P3M3, Agile Project Management Certification and MSP. Experience gained from multiple sectors and industries means our clients benefit from a practical, hands-on approach to programme and project delivery that works.
To return to the hide and seek metaphor … you can stop seeking … Stoneseed has done that for you!
To find out more call 01623 723910 or get in touch here.