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According to a report published by Dell Technologies and authored by the Institute For The Future (IFTF) and a panel of 20 tech, business and academic experts from around the world, states that 85 per cent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't even been invented yet.

"The pace of change will be so rapid that people will learn 'in the moment' using new technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality. The ability to gain new knowledge will be more valuable than the knowledge itself," Dell Technologies said in the report Given the rapid pace of change in the workplace, particularly when we consider all of the things that have changed over the last ten years, such as social media, artificial intelligence, and automation, it, it doesn’t seem an unlikely statistic.

The work human beings do will continue to shift as some jobs become obsolete and new jobs emerge as technological advancement will replace outdated positions and produce new ones that combine human and machine collaboration. Moreover, the expertise and skill set we'll require in the future varies greatly from those we currently require. Soft skills will grow in importance as the demand for the thing’s machines can’t do continues to increase. However, the ability to understand and work confidently with technology will still be critical.

With that in mind, here are four digital skills you need to cultivate to thrive in the new world of work:

Digital Literacy

Digital Literally refers to the abilities required to learn, function, and get around in an increasingly digital world. We are able to interact with technology effortlessly and confidently when we possess digital literacy skills. This entails abilities like:

● Keeping on top of emerging new technologies

● Understanding what tech is available and how it can be used

● Using digital devices, software, and applications – at work, in educational settings, and in our everyday lives

● Communicating, collaborating, and sharing information with other people using digital tools

● Staying safe and secure in a digital environment

Data Literacy

The fourth industrial revolution, which is presently underway, is characterised by numerous waves of new technologies that merge the digital and physical worlds. Consider the abundance of "smart" everyday items like watches and internet-connected thermostats that are available on the market.

Data literacy is one of the crucial talents we'll need in the future because all of that new technology is based on data.

A fundamental understanding of the significance of data and how to transform it into insights and value is known as data literacy. You'll need to be able to access the right data, work with it, interpret the results, share your findings with others, and, if required, challenge the data in a business setting.

Technical Skills

Today, "technical talents" encompasses a wide range of abilities; future employers won't just require IT and engineering expertise. A wide range of technical abilities remain of utmost value even as the nature of work changes and processes become more automated.

Technical skills are essentially the practical or physical abilities required to do a task successfully. Although it is true that coding, AI, data science, and IT skills are in high demand, there is a far wider market for these skills. Being a plumber requires technical expertise. The same is true for truck drivers, nurses, carpenters, and project managers.

As new technologies emerge, we will require increasingly specialised technical skills in every business. As a result, you should be ready to constantly learn and concentrate on your professional development through a combination of formal education, training, and on-the-job training.

Digital Threat Awareness

The world is becoming increasingly digital, and cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and smarter  This implies brand-new dangers that could significantly affect both our personal and professional lives.

Digital threat awareness refers to being aware of the risks associated with utilising digital devices and the internet, as well as having the tools necessary to protect your company and yourself.

Our digital fingerprints are bigger than ever since so many of our activities—from scheduling doctor visits to placing takeaway orders on Friday nights—take place online.

Digital threat awareness means understanding the biggest threats in our everyday lives, including:

● Digital addiction

● Online privacy and protecting your data

● Password protection

● Cyberbullying

● Digital impersonation

● Phishing

● Data breaches

● Malware, ransomware, and IoT attacks

In order to reduce the dangers posed by these cybersecurity threats, we should all strive to have healthy relationships with technology and educate people on how to get the most of technology without letting it take over our lives.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an important aspect of the future. These days, it seems to be a topic that everyone is thinking about. Although this significant trend in technological advancement has been known to us for some time, we have recently noted that AI is becoming one of the most sought-after specialties among job seekers.

A decade ago, AI technology appeared like something out of science fiction; today, we unknowingly employ it in everyday activities like automation, facial and speech recognition, and intelligence research. According to data, during the past four years, the use of AI in several commercial areas has increased by 270 %.

The demand for artificial intelligence is being driven by the expansion of automation, 5G, databases, cloud computing, and a number of other factors. It is projected that AI's inclusion into cybersecurity services would be driven by its capacity to detect cyber risks.

But what will AI mean for the future of work? As computers and technology have evolved, this has been one of the most pressing questions.

Before we delve into the specific ways that AI will affect the future of employment, it's critical to define AI simply. Artificial intelligence is simply "the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to accomplish tasks often associated with intelligent beings," according to a simple definition. The word "AI" has evolved to refer to any developments in computing, systems, and technology that enable computer programmes to carry out activities or address issues that call for the kind of reasoning we associate with human intelligence, even picking up from prior experiences.

The Impact of AI in Information Technology

Many fundamental problems in the IT business are now being solved and optimised by new developments brought about by the digital transformation and the adoption of AI technology by many industries. Almost all technological applications, including information technology, are centred on artificial intelligence (AI). The load on developers has been lessened by the integration of AI systems by increasing productivity, increasing efficiency, and guaranteeing quality. Previously nearly impossible, the development and deployment of IT systems on a broad scale is now feasible thanks to AI's creation of sophisticated algorithmic functions.

More Secure Systems

When it comes to protecting confidential data of any kind, including financial and personal information, data security is crucial. Large volumes of consumer and strategic data are kept in storage by both public and commercial enterprises, and they must always be kept secure. Artificial intelligence can offer the necessary level of security to build a high-security layer inside all of these systems by utilising cutting-edge algorithms and machine learning. AI will assist in identifying potential risks and data breaches while also offering the necessary precautions and solutions to prevent any system flaws.

Enhanced Coding Productivity

In addition, artificial intelligence employs a number of algorithms that can directly assist programmers in finding and fixing software issues as well as in the authoring of code. In order to help engineers write clean, bug-free code, several forms of artificial intelligence have been developed to make suggestions. This has increased efficiency and productivity. The AI system will be able to make helpful suggestions by analysing the structure of the code, which will increase productivity overall and reduce downtime during production.

Increased Automation

The fact that much of the "legwork" can be completed with little to no human involvement is one of the main advantages of automation. IT organisations can greatly reduce the number of human hours spent on backend procedures by automating them with deep learning applications, which can provide significant cost benefits. The effectiveness of many AI-enabled techniques will also increase over time as their algorithms learn from their blunders.

Fraud Detection

Fraud detection has become considerably simpler for businesses thanks to modern technology. However, it has also increased the number of methods that fraudsters are committing fraud at the same time. For the majority of firms, identifying fraud will require a multi-layered strategy that often includes statistical data analysis and AI. Several Artificial intelligence tools are employed in the detection of fraud. One of these is machine learning, which is significantly more efficient than people at processing massive volumes of data.

Additionally, it may be made to improve over time in terms of speed and precision. By examining past data that featured comparable conditions, machine learning techniques will be able to spot patterns of fraudulent behaviour. The IT department will then use the synthesized data to take the appropriate action against these cyber criminals as well as build more effective preventive measures for the future.

Improved Quality Assurance

Using the appropriate tools during the development cycle is a key component of quality assurance. To put it another way, AI techniques can assist software engineers in using the appropriate tools to resolve various application defects and difficulties and automatically modify them throughout the development cycle.

Better Server Optimization

The hosting server is frequently inundated with millions of requests every day. When this occurs, the server must load any requested web pages from users. Some servers may become unresponsive and eventually slow down due to the constant barrage of requests. AI can assist with host service optimization to raise overall operations and customer satisfaction. AI will be employed more and more as IT needs grow, helping to meet workforce needs and facilitating a smoother transition between present business and technical operations.

Should Companies Implement AI?

Organizations can incorporate artificial intelligence into their processes in a variety of ways. To optimise the business's procedures is one of the most popular justifications. Let's take the example of using AI to automatically remind teams, clients, and departments. In addition to handling a wide range of tedious and repetitive duties that would otherwise take up a lot of people's time, it may also be used to monitor network traffic. They will then have more time and energy to devote to the more important facets of the company as a result of this.

The tailored customer experience that AI has to offer is another bonus for businesses looking to utilise it. This will cover everything from making recommendations to responding to inquiries, guiding customers toward items, and more. Businesses can also utilise AI to combine massive amounts of data, which can result in the discovery of strategic insights and business intelligence that might not have been made otherwise.

Will AI Replace IT?

One of the main reasons some businesses are hesitant to use artificial intelligence technology is that they worry that it will render a lot of employment outdated and irrelevant. These expressed worries that "robots" will replace people are not entirely unwarranted because some tasks are better performed by cutting-edge AI, especially when they call for the processing of large amounts of data.

However, when it comes to some particular tasks that require human intelligence and emotion, AI will not perform better than humans, contrary to what some people may believe. The backing of artificial intelligence by information technology is crucial for this reason. AI benefits the IT department in a variety of ways, not by replacing it.

In many areas of information technology, human input is necessary and cannot be substituted by artificial intelligence. Instead, businesses should concentrate on how IT specialists can use AI to increase their organization's overall effectiveness.

Microsoft launched Windows 11 on the 5^th of October 2021 as a free upgrade. Throughout the previous 3 months, I have had many interesting discussions with candidates on whether Windows 11 is as good as it has been made out to be. Throughout this article post, I will discuss some of the benefits and disadvantages of Windows 11 and everything you need to know to make the decision on whether it's time to upgrade.

Microsoft has made it clear that Windows 11 is available to all. There is no additional cost associated with installing Windows 11. However, it is not available to everyone because the update is only compatible with a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 and an Intel Core 8th generation processor that was released in 2017. As a result, most PCs older than four years will be unable to download the update. Since Windows 10 will only receive one upgrade per year until 2025, when it will be retired, this is a major issue for businesses using older technology. Companies have only three years to change their computer hardware as a result of this.

Despite the fact that the update is difficult to obtain, it has its advantages. For gamers, it features automatic HDR, which enhances the vibrancy of game pictures, and direct storage, which allows the graphic card and the Solid State Drive (SSD) to communicate more quickly.

Additionally, given Microsoft has chosen a new MacOS-style taskbar, it should be easier for MacOS users to navigate Windows 11. Unlike MacOS, which allows you to pin the task bar to any of the four corners of the screen, Windows 11 only allows you to pin it to the bottom, which could be inconvenient. Furthermore, customers have been perplexed by the fact that they are unable to see their live programmes on the task bar, making navigating more difficult.

As well as the new tool bar, Windows 11 will also come with a “Microsoft Chat” App, very similar to iMessage and Facetime from Apple. The Chat App uses the users Phone Number or Email-ID to enable the chat feature.

One of my favourite new features will be the various Window Sizes; by that, I mean that Windows 11 has "Snap Layouts" that allow you to have multiple applications or documents open on your screen at the same time. As someone who works in a second language, I find that online dictionaries are my closest friend. Having a dictionary and a document open on the same screen at the same time will help tremendously. Individuals will be able to get more work done as a result of this feature, as they will be able to view a greater variety of jobs they are working on.  Home office plays a key part in our working lives at the moment with not all of us having access to multiple screens, “Snap Layouts” provides us with an alternative. On the other hand, having more tabs open may lead to more distractions because you are not focused on a single job.

"Edge Browser" is the preferred browser for Windows 11. Sleeping tabs are available in this browser, allowing you to save memory and Central Processing Unit (CPU) usage. This means you have the ability to re-open the apps you had the previous time you turned on your computer. This has the advantage of allowing you to pick up just where we left off, but it also implies that if we want to start fresh the next day, we must ensure that all apps are closed at the end of the day.

I am really excited to be able to use the new Windows 11. I look forward to using the new taskbar, the “Snap Layouts” and the setting to have my last opened applications open again when I start in the morning. 

At nearly 18 months into the pandemic, numerous lockdowns, multiple vaccinees and a completely new way of working – it’s safe to say that the world has changed quite drastically.

Technology has been a huge enabler of this change. Microsoft’s Brad Smith said two years of digital transformation took place in the first two months of the pandemic.

As England emerges from lockdown with a promise of a return to “normality”, which of these tech innovations will stick?

Video calling

Perhaps the most notable “new tech” is the increased use of video calling, not only as a work tool, but also to stay connected to our loved ones. So much so that Zoom became a verb.

While Zoom-fatigue did hit hard and the thought of another virtual pub quiz is a little sickening, it’s clear that video calling is is a welcomed tool in the workplace, if not in our personal lives.

Unsurprisingly, in-person interactions with friends and family are preferred to virtual ones, but the use of Zoom, Teams and other video conferencing tools have facilitated the new era of flexible working. It’s safe to stay that Zoom is here to stay, whether we like it or not.

Cyber-security

Cyber-criminals have had a field day since the pandemic started. Businesses globally were forced to adopt a remote working model where employees were often working from personal PCs, laptops and phones with limited antivirus software.

The ever-growing amount of data breaches means an ever-growing demand for cyber-security professionals. The unemployment rate in cybersecurity has been at 0% since 2011, so the responsibility lies with businesses, organisations and educational programmes to upskill people in the skills needed to fill the gap.

There will always be people looking to exploit a situation. As users of tech, we must remain diligent to phishing attacks, while keeping our devices updated and secure.

Fitness and wellness apps

As gyms remained closed for large parts of the pandemic, people looked for new ways to remain fit and healthy. Apps such as Strava and Nike Run Club were downloaded in mass.

Strava went from just over 2 million sessions each week pre-pandemic, to over 6 million sessions by May 2020. This figure remained even with the reopening of gyms.

While the gym isn’t going anywhere yet, it’s clear that people’s exercise habits have changed. Perhaps it was the efficiency of a home workout vs going to the gym that has kept the momentum going.

Awareness around mental health rose in 2020 as months in lockdown took their toll. Mindfulness and meditation apps such as Calm, which raised new funding at a $2 billion valuation in December 2020, were downloaded globally to combat the lockdown-lows.

The fact that these apps have held on to their users throughout the past 18 months points to a shift in the way we manage our fitness and wellbeing.

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With so much uncertainty around what the immediate future will look like, it’s difficult to determine whether the tech we use today will be relevant tomorrow. Certain habits from the past 18 months were indeed welcomed and here to stay – many of which were enabled by technology.

written by Evangeline Hunt

Many people have been working remotely for over a year now. While it was initially seen as a temporary solution to lockdown, it is becoming clear that flexible working is here to stay.

For some organisations, the logistics of remote work was already set up. For others who previously had no remote workers, it was more of a challenge.

In this heavily candidate-driven market, employers need to offer flexible working to attract the best talent. Utilising IT Infrastructure can help businesses implement a successful remote working strategy, while also minimising security and cost issues associated with remote work. Below, we share our top tips on how this can be executed.

Keep security tight

Security threats are amplified when employees are working remotely. Networks operate from beyond the firewall, making them difficult to secure. Some employees are working from their personal devices, which may not have any kind of antivirus software installed.

According to CIO.com, 20% of organisations have fallen victim to a security breach since the start of the pandemic that was directly linked to remote working. An unsurprising statistic, given the new open-door that hackers were gifted with when people started working from home.

To prevent potential security threats, businesses will need to secure the infrastructure and software used by employees when working remotely. One way to do this is to use a centralised desktop environment through the cloud. Working inside a secure cloud environment means that all data remains within the cloud, reducing the chance of potential cyberattacks.

Invest in collaboration tools

Keeping employees connected while working remotely is essential for a happy and engaged workforce.  Remote work can sometimes feel lonely, so investing in a business-wide communication tool, such as Teams or Slack, makes collaboration easy and efficient.

Given that remote working is here to stay, scheduling time for virtual coffee breaks can help keep company culture thriving.

Offering a user-friendly way to work remotely is essential to ensure that employees can connect to IT resources when out of the office.

Using a cloud desktop rather than a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) means that a service provider will host your applications in the cloud, reducing any downtime from a weak network connection. A cloud desktop will make it easier for employees to access everything they need on any device, from any location.

Reduce unnecessary hardware using the cloud

Maintaining the hardware of remote employees can be a big challenge. If laptops need maintenance when employees are working from home, it can be difficult to facilitate this.

This goes hand in hand with IT issues in general – any form of hardware/software issue is more time consuming to solve remotely.

Employers can combat this by minimising the amount of physical equipment that their employees need to work from home. As previously mentioned, using a cloud desktop is an easy way for workers to access files and applications from their own devices, while still ensuring everything remains secure. The only resource needed to log onto a cloud desktop is a web browser, making it an accessible option for most.

Reducing the amount of hardware needed can also work to keep costs down. Trying to recreate the whole IT infrastructure of the office in each employee’s home can be costly. The cloud desktop will enable employees to access their workstations without the need for expensive equipment.

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The future of the office remaining relatively uncertain, but one thing that we can be sure about is that most employees are keen to keep some aspect of remote working in their schedule.

With the help of IT Infrastructure, businesses can successfully implement a productive remote working strategy to meet these needs, while remaining secure and cost-effective.

We partner with businesses globally to deliver top IT Infrastructure talent that is essential for enabling a post-covid workplace. Are you looking to grow your IT Infrastructure team? Get in touch today to find out how we can assist you!

written by Evangeline Hunt

The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly, as more and more devices become connected each year. IoT is powering many areas of our lives – from lightbulbs, wearable tech, to the creation of complex Smart Cities – automating day-to-day processes.

Besides consumer advances, IoT is becoming an essential component of successful and cost-effective business transformation.

Given the consistent growth of IoT, Business Wire predicts that the global IoT market will reach $1.1 trillion in revenue by 2024, with 80 billion connected devices.

How are we using IoT in our daily lives? And where do we expect it to take us looking forward?

What is IoT?

IoT is the connection of multiple appliances/objects to each other and the internet, which are monitored remotely. These devices are interconnected and track and receive data, which is then processed in the cloud.

A smart home is an example of IoT – appliances such as the thermostat, doorbell and security system can sense their surroundings and interact with one another, which can be monitored over a mobile app.

This involves complex communication between devices and accurate processing of data. Sensing devices are used to monitor things such as temperature, humidity and water level.

IoT in the world

Complex uses of IoT already exist in today’s world. Amazon’s fully automated supermarket where you can “just walk out” uses IoT technology to fully automate the whole shopping experience. You scan a barcode when you walk in and then there is no need to scan or pay for any items.

Smart Cities are being created across the globe, where IoT tech is used to monitor everything from traffic, recycling and energy use. Citizens interact with a smart city through their smartphones, connected cars and homes. The smart city can do things such as cut costs of energy, improve sustainability and manage traffic flows.

Like with many industries, the Covid pandemic highlighted the true potential of the IoT, as it was used for things such as enabling remote operations to manage distancing policies.

One example of this is the NFL, who used wearable connected sensors to manage the safe return of players and staff. Connected through IoT, these sensors provided real-time data on the movements of everyone in the stadium – meaning if someone tested positive for COVID-19, the data could determine who needed to isolate.

Potential problems

As with all growing technologies, there will always be potential problems and setbacks. IoT relies on a speedy and reliable connection as it often analyses data in real-time, meaning network issues can impact how well IoT performs.

As more and more devices are connected, some networks are unable to manage the increased traffic. The ability to scale as demand grows will be essential if businesses want to continue to digitally transform.

Perhaps the most obvious problem is the security issues that come with numerous connected devices. Poorly secured IoT devices are a common target of hackers, as one unsecured device can act as a portal to the whole network.

Organisations can manage this by delivering security functions through the cloud, to ensure that all devices will receive the same level of security.

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Looking forward, it’s clear that the potential of IoT is exponential. Smart living and smart cities are already embedded in society, and will only continue to grow.

Where else do you see IoT being utilized in the future?

written by Evangeline Hunt

Video calls and online chats are important social tools for many of us, so why not use them for business too? At a time when meeting face-to-face is being discouraged in a bid to contain the outbreak of Covid-19, many firms are doing just that and using virtual methods, such as video conference calls, to encourage business continuity.

In the recruitment business, interviews are key. They are the chance for candidates to meet their potential employer, get a feeling for the people and the business, and also to showcase who they are and what they can do. For employers, they are the chance to meet the potential employee, get a feeling of whether they would fit in with the office culture and obviously, to quiz them about their skills and experience. Doing this over the phone or by video link rather than face-to-face is a very different proposition.

Remote interviews can save time and stress

“Remote interviewing is nothing new,” says Steven Ewer, head of Franklin Fitch’s UK and US operations, adding that many of his clients have been using it for the initial interview stage for a long time. “Collaboration tools are so strong that actually there is no reason why the quality of your interview process needs to change.”

In reality, remote interviews can save time and stress both for the candidate and the company. Individuals need to set aside less time as they don’t have to travel and can fit a video call into a lunch break or even before work. Similarly, companies can schedule more interviews if they don’t need to spend time showing each person into the office.

That however, is a concern for some people. Steven says he has clients who are concerned that candidates want to see what the office environment is actually like and there is also the issue of how you check technology knowledge that would normally be tested in the confines of a controlled environment. In actual fact, he believes the company culture is the people and you can get a good feeling for that from a video call.

Treat it the same as any interview

“You need to treat a video interview in the same way you would a face-to-face interview,” says Steven, adding that many people forget they can be seen and can become easily distracted. He believes a video interview is preferable to a phone-only interview as it not only helps concentration and focus but you also get a better sense of the individual’s character. He does point out however, that it can be harder to gauge reaction and that body language is hyper-exaggerated on screen – not a big issue, but something to be aware of.

“And if you really want your candidates to see the office, the technology is there,” he says. “You can do virtual walkthroughs if you want and thanks to Google it is now even possible to see into buildings.”

“You don’t miss much by interviewing remotely,” he says. “It’s more of a mental issue.”

Companies need to adapt their hiring processes

Given the current situation – many European countries and much of the US is on lockdown and the majority of office-based staff are working from home, face-to-face interviews are a no go for the time being. Companies that want to hire – and there are still plenty of them – will have to change their recruitment processes and adapt.

There are signs this is already happening. Global downloads of business apps that facilitate remote interviews and working such as WeChat Work, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Slack have risen nearly five-fold since the start of the year, according to data from app analytics firm Sensor Tower. In the first week of March there were 6.7 million new users across the App Store and Google Play, compared with 1.4 million in the first week of January.

So, gone are the days of being judged on your pre-interview handshake. Now, if you get it wrong, it’ll be the quality of the video backdrop that you’re remembered for. So don’t forget to move away from the drying washing!

We're still hiring

For anyone looking for a position in IT infrastructure or companies with roles to fill, we are still here and busy making the most of the technology on offer to continue hiring both for ourselves and clients as normal. Give us a call on 0203 696 7950 or email info@franklinfitch.com.

 

Remote interview advice for candidates:

1. Treat it like a face-to-face interview – it is no different
2. Don’t forget that you can be seen – your body language still needs to be positive
3. Practice beforehand. If necessary call a member of your family or a friend to check all your technology is working properly and you can be heard clearly. Provided you feel comfortable, use a headset as it usually makes for a clearer conversation
4. Make sure you have a neutral background, no drying washing etc.
5. Dress as you would for a face-to-face interview

 

Remote interview advice for interviewers:

1. Prepare in exactly the same way you would for any interview
2. Communicate openly and clearly – allow more time for candidates to move between questions
3. Make you start on time
4. Ensure there are no distractions
5. Emphasise the employer brand and take time to describe the company culture

by Claire Shoesmith

It’s official, the coronavirus is here. Yesterday the UK Prime Minister advised people to avoid non-essential travel and where possible to work from home to help slow the spread the of the Covid-19 virus that has already killed thousands of people around the world. Many European countries and parts of the US are already on lock-down. At Franklin Fitch we are heeding the advice and from today, most of us are working from home.

Thanks to technology such as Skype, Microsoft’s Teams and Zoom Video Communications, to name but a few, remote working is relatively simple. Provided you have access to a computer and an internet connection, most people can continue doing their job in the same way they would in an office. Meetings, document sharing and even interviews (we will return to this in a separate blog) can all be done remotely online – it just requires a bit more planning and perhaps a little more discipline from the individual workers to ensure they remain engaged and motivated.  

It's about collaboration and communication

Some companies had already made the decision for their employees to work remotely before yesterday’s announcement, but it was one that was not taken lightly at Franklin Fitch. Ultimately we are a business built on collaboration and communication, and while this can be successful at a distance, it is something that David Annable, the firm’s founder, believes is even better done face-to-face.

“We are all about collaborative working,” says David. “And what’s the easiest way to achieve that? – to sit at a desk with other people.” For him, there are huge benefits to sitting in an open-plan office surrounded by colleagues doing a similar job. As well as the collaborative aspect, he believes the learning and emotional support provided by nearby colleagues is very important.

“Being present in the office means you are more aware of what is going on with your colleagues and are able to see the visual clues to help you provide the right emotional support at the right time,” he says.

People can work just as well remotely

Still, the government advice is very clear and we fully support the move to reduce close contact in the office, especially when our employees can do their job just as well remotely. We will continue to offer the same level of training and support to our staff and engagement with our candidates and clients via email, phone and video conferencing.

For many, flexible working is nothing new – in fact, according to a study by business payment advisers Merchant Savvy, 61% of global companies already allow their staff to work remotely for at least some of their working week. But for those who usually travel into an office each day and not only enjoy the company of, but also learn from, the colleagues sitting around them, the isolation of home working can be difficult. We at Franklin Fitch are very aware of this and will be keeping in close contact with all our employees, candidates and clients to ensure that not only business continues as usual, but also that their health, both mental and physical, remains strong .

We are open for business

Contact us on 0203 696 7950 or email info@franklinfitch.com

by Claire Shoesmith

A new year, a new you, or so the saying goes. For some this will mean a new job, for others it will be new resolutions, but for the remainder, it will simply be a continuation of the same, picking up where they left off sometime before Christmas. Even if it’s the latter, there’s no room for complacency. The IT world is constantly changing, and so should you if you want to keep on top of your game and get the most out of 2020.

Whilst we at Franklin Fitch have many skills, unfortunately crystal-ball reading isn’t one of them. However, being involved in two of the fastest moving industries – IT Infrastructure and recruitment, we have no doubt that 2020 is set to be an exciting year. So, what do we expect the first year of the new decade to bring, and more importantly, what can you do to ensure you stay ahead?

Here we look at the five top trends we expect to be dominating the market over the next 12 months and how we believe you can use them to your advantage.

1. A tighter permanent recruitment market

There are several reasons for this: unemployment is at its lowest rate for more than 40 years (the latest figures from the UK’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) released in December show the unemployment rate fell to 3.8%, its lowest level since 1974) and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Britain’s departure from the EU. The upcoming change to the IR35 legislation is also having an impact, but we will examine this in more detail in another article.

Finding individuals with the required skills and experience to fill roles in cutting-edge sectors, such as serverless and cloud technology, DevOps, containerisation, networking and cyber security has never been easy, but it’s now harder than ever. Not only are there not enough Britons out there seeking these positions, but we are now faced with a likely shortage of skilled migrant workers thanks to the uncertainty around Britain’s future immigration policy. While there is much talk of an Australian-style point-based system, which would allow those with the necessary skills to take these roles, David Annable, Franklin Fitch’s founder, says that all the uncertainty is reducing the attractiveness of the UK as a place for non-Britons to work.

While the tight market makes it more difficult for businesses looking to hire highly-skilled security architects, network engineers or chief information (security) officers, it is also an opportunity for the UK’s top technology talent. 

2. Higher salaries

The knock-on effect of a shortage of candidates is obviously an increase in salaries. With fewer people to fill the roles, particularly in the highly-skilled areas of networks, servers, security or data, it goes without saying that those individuals capable of doing the job will need to be paid more to attract them to, and keep them in, the role.  

3. Candidate-led hiring

Another feature of a tight employment market is that it places the power very firmly in the hands of the candidate. Employers will need to work harder to attract and retain the right people, says Annable.

Training and development will be key to ensuring employees remain engaged and hopefully prevent them being enticed away to other roles. In our 2019 Market and Skills Report, the opportunity to progress featured highly, just behind salary, in the rankings of what candidates consider to be most important when choosing a new job.

4. Increased focus on employee benefits, including flexibility

Getting the right work-life balance has long been a talking point. While no definitive solution to the age-old challenge has been found, organisations have become much more open to alternative ways of working, including flexible hours, job sharing and the option to work from home. This is understandably not an option for all roles, but in today’s tight job market, organisations are going to have to pay more attention to the requests of individual employees and seek to accommodate their demands to attract the top talent. Again this offers a great opportunity for job seekers.

5. Ongoing emphasis on diversity in the workplace

Improving diversity and inclusion is not just a box-ticking exercise. Organisations are at last starting to realise the benefits of a diverse workforce. According to the latest figures from the UK’s Office of National Statistics (ONS), just over half of the 6.5 million Britons working in professional occupations are women. While this is indeed progress, it has unfortunately not filtered through to the IT and telecommunications’ sectors, where the ratio is just one in six.

However, the IT sector fares better when it comes to ethnic diversity, with the latest ONS figures showing that of the 1.84 million professionals who work in science, engineering and technology, 85.1% are white, compared with 87.6% across the UK workforce as a whole.

While the debate rumbles on as to how to achieve increased diversity in gender, ability, ethnicity and sexual orientation, you can expect organisations to try their own variations of quotas and targets to help achieve their goal. For some individuals, this will be an opportunity.

To conclude, there is no doubt that the tight employment market offers highly-skilled IT candidates the chance to shine and move ahead of the curve, but they aren't the only ones. The market situation also creates a significant opportunity for recruiters to face up to the challenge of finding the right person for the right role in a market where organisations themselves are likely to struggle. 

If 2020 is looking like a good year for candidates, then it's also not looking too bad for recruiters.....

by Claire Shoesmith

Diversity and inclusion are very important topics for businesses across all industries. We want to shine a light on the topic specifically for those working within IT Infrastructure.

We’ve seen a lot of women in tech initiatives over the years yet still only 10% of participants in this market and skills report were female. Although we were hoping that this is not a representative number, day to day conversations with industry specialist show a similar result.

We are supporting events like CYBERWOMEN 2019 in Germany and hope that initiatives like these will give women and girls the confidence to take on a career in IT Infrastructure.

Although we are huge fans of initiatives encouraging women and girls in tech, we think that this is not enough. Diversity & Inclusion is not only about the female-male divide. It is about tackling biases based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual preference and age (just to name a few) and ending discrimination completely.

We would like to provide a platform for those working within or interested in IT Infrastructure to share their experiences with us and to come up with possible solutions together.

We are conducting interviews with industry experts who are willing to give us their opinions and insights on diversity and inclusion within IT Infrastructure.

Interested? Contact Leonie Schaefer for more information +44 203 696 7950, l.schaefer@franklinfitch.com.