Australian ICT employers expect tougher 2014

Three in four Australian ICT employers are anticipating tougher market conditions in 2014. They are placing more demands on employees and have implemented more stringent hiring approval processes as a result.

A survey by talent outsourcing provider Hudson into the Australia and New Zealand ICT markets shows that 83.2% of employers report that there is a greater pressure on budgets this year, and 70.8% say workloads have increased.

This is placing more pressure on workers, with 39.8% of ICT employees reporting working longer hours, 53.9% reporting increasing stress levels and three in ten feeling less secure in their role.

The report also states ICT contracting is increasing. More than a third of ICT employers say they are using contractors more now than a year earlier - significantly higher than the 27.4% average across all sectors.

ICT salaries are also on the rise, with 86.4% of ICT employers stating they have increased base salaries over the last 12 months.

Key ICT trends including big data and mobility are driving demand for specialists in these fields, the report adds. Solutions architects, CRM developers and application developers with specialist experience are also highly sought after.