The majority of employers worldwide hold a positive outlook regarding emerging technologies, revealed a recent report titled "The Future is Now: AI, the Metaverse, & the World of Work" by Experis. Contrary to concerns about job displacement, these employers believe that technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR), blockchain, and others will actually create more job opportunities.
"The integration of AI, machine learning, VR/AR, and other emerging technologies is rapidly transforming industries and driving the need for an adaptable workforce. We are seeing companies embrace these new technologies with many seeking to hire or upskill existing talent to take advantage of potential productivity gains. Smart employers know that embracing digitization and nurturing human talent will enhance their readiness to succeed in this era of rapid technological advancement," said Experis Senior Vice President Ger Doyle.
As many as 78% of IT organizations are facing challenges in hiring skilled talent, prompting a growing number of companies to incorporate emerging technologies into their recruitment strategies. According to the survey, many companies have already adopted or are planning to adopt various technologies in their hiring processes. These include AI (35% adopted, 36% planning to adopt), Conversational AI (35% adopted, 36% planning to adopt), Machine Learning (38% adopted, 34% planning to adopt), and VR (30% adopted, 35% planning to adopt). These technology-driven approaches aim to address the talent shortage and improve recruitment outcomes.
What are today's hiring priorities?
The Experis Tech Talent Outlook report highlights that the emergence of new technologies has led to a change in hiring priorities for employers. Employers are placing a strong emphasis on recruiting talent in cybersecurity (34%), technical support (32%), customer or user experience (31%), database management (27%), and customer relationship management systems (25%). These areas have become key focal points for organizations navigating the evolving technology landscape.
Employers are also taking several approaches to tackle the technology-related challenges they face. These include training and upskilling their existing workforce, with 50% of employers opting for this strategy. Another common approach is hiring new workers who already possess the necessary skills, which is being done by 46% of employers.
Additionally, 39% of employers are investing more in automation to address these challenges, and 39% are reskilling workers and transitioning them into IT roles. Lastly, 38% of employers hire short-term staff, such as freelancers or contract workers, to fill the skills gaps within their organizations.
