* Many businesses are keeping IT in house to preserve collaboration
It may seem like many IT jobs are being offshored, but that’s not the case according to the IT leaders polled by Robert Half Technology. Of the CIOs surveyed, 94% said their company does not outsource IT jobs outside of the United States.
The poll of more than 1,400 IT executives across the country shows that only 5% of those polled work for employers that outsource tech jobs outside of the United States. The remaining 1% didn’t know. What’s more, few expected the status quo to change in the next two years when it comes to offshore outsourcing. A full 86% anticipate no change, while 7% anticipate an increase and 4% predict a decrease.
“Challenges such as language, culture and time-zone barriers can sometimes outweigh the potential benefits of outsourcing,” says Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology. “Smaller companies, in particular, may lack the resources to commit to an effective long-term offshoring strategy.”
Of those respondents who once sent IT jobs overseas but pulled back, 59% attributed management challenges and oversight requirements to the top reason. Unrealized cost savings were another factor, as cited by 30% of respondents. And 23% maintained that the quality of the outsourced work was not good enough. Diminished morale of U.S. employees was also a factor.
Lee adds that many businesses are keeping IT in house to preserve collaboration, noting that the work requires frequent interaction with colleagues. As we know, the focus isn’t just on tech skills but on communication skills and business acumen.
If you are considering offshore outsourcing, Robert Half Technology offers the following advice:
* Seek stability of a vendor.
* Consider setup time and cost.
* Be prepared for management challenges.
* Determine how to address security and privacy concerns.
