Dive Brief:
- KPMG International announced the findings of a study that predicts a major need for management-level candidates in the artificial intelligence, cognitive technology and robotics automation industry over the next 3 years.
- Combining two KPMG industry surveys (2017 Global CEO Outlook and Global Technology Industry Innovation), the data indicates 76% of technology CEOs expect to hire more IT talent to handle emerging cognitive tech. 64% predict the need to hire more middle managers.
- The KPMG survey also shows that organizations are gearing up for automation and cognitive technologies by hiring more support staff. More than half expect to hire more customer service, sales, production, finance, research, HR and marketing staff.
Dive Insight:
The technology market is undergoing rapid changes due to the introduction of artificial intelligence and robotic automation. Several experts in this area found that there are serious talent shortages that may only be corrected through targeted workforce training. Bullhorn's 2017 North American Staffing and Recruiting Trends Report shows that staffing firms are mindful of this, with 61% worried about talent shortages.
The study also reveals the importance of good managers engaging the rest of the talent base. Leadership that can guide employees, listen to them and meet their needs goes a long way in ensuring retention.
What can companies do that don't have enough competent managers who understand cognitive technology and can utilize more modern tools that harness AI? One solution is to train them. The other is to identify independent talent that has this knowledge and bring them on as consultants. It's something that all organizations should be thinking about as they hire for 2017 and beyond.
