IT recruitment firm ReThink Recruitment reports 22% of IT directors fear cuts in their budgets mean they will struggle to deliver IT support. But 61% anticipate an increase in the workload put on their departments, even though budgets have been cut or frozen.
A fifth (20%) plan to reduce their workforce, compared with 16% in July 2008, but 37% have concerns over their ability to retain key staff and 26% worry their budget is not enough to enable them to recruit the right staff.
Just over a quarter of IT directors (27%) expect a pay rise this year - down from 50% last July. And 52% think the problems with skills shortages will remain the same or get worse in 2010 - up from 19% in 2008.
Michael Bennett, director at ReThink Recruitment, says: "Many IT directors feel that their budgets have already been cut down to the bone.
"IT is sometimes mistakenly seen as an area where cost cuts can be made without jeopardising revenue. But it is not just in tech companies that IT investment underpins almost all strategic initiatives.
"The concern of many IT directors that we speak to is that they will be denied the funding to complete projects that can deliver their colleagues more significant cost and efficiency savings."
IT directors feel cuts in budget and headcount mean they will struggle to deliver
Almost one in five IT directors (18%) have "major concerns" that if headcounts are reduced any further in their organisation, they will not be able to deliver.
