Amassing sufficient technology talent, in general, has been a noted challenge for global businesses for many years. With the current growth trajectory of automation, catalyzed by a global pandemic that is forcing organizations to be more efficient, securing talent to advance automation initiatives is becoming more challenging.
In fact, global consultancy McKinsey, in a recent post, identified automation as one of seven key areas where tech talent will matter most in the next five years. The McKinsey report singled out RPA, along with cognitive AI, machine learning, AI-enabled analytics and quantum computing, as areas where the demand for talent could continue to outstrip supply.
Hiring practices at companies where automation is a strategic priority must change the way they hire, McKinsey said.
“Nearly twice as many respondents who report successful transformations say their companies set hiring goals based on specific skills needs, compared with respondents whose organizations don’t set those same kind of goals,” according to the post from McKinsey’s Matthias Daub, Ranja Reda Kouba, Kate Smaje and Anna Wiesinger. “They do so by evaluating relevant trends, identifying the corresponding skills needed over the next three to five years. Importantly, they identify skills at a level of precision necessary so they can target the right hires and build out relevant training programs.”