New research by Expereo involving over 650 global CIOs underscores the challenges faced by large global enterprises in their pursuit of global expansion. One-third of CIOs struggle to hire high-value knowledge workers, resulting in 32% resorting to hiring individuals they've never met in person. The top obstacles to global growth include skills and resource retention (35%), complex security environments (35%), and challenging physical and geo-political infrastructures (33%). A significant challenge lies in recruiting individuals with a combination of business and technology skills, a problem cited by 40% of CIOs. Moreover, recruiting for competencies in governance and regulatory compliance (31%) and growth technologies like cybersecurity (49%), AI/ML (41%), and data analytics (38%) presents hurdles.
The adoption of hybrid and remote work policies has enabled 43% of global CIOs to access a broader talent pool, with 38% reporting that their teams are now dispersed across different countries and markets. Nearly half (48%) of CIOs believe that flexible working is a key driver for retaining and recruiting skilled employees. This shift is reflected in the new normal of working three days or less in the office for almost three-quarters (72%) of businesses. However, challenges include ensuring application performance across multiple locations (41%) and providing 24/7 support across multiple time zones (37).
Ben Elms, Chief Revenue Officer at Expereo, stresses the importance of having technology in place to facilitate connectivity and collaboration in a remote working environment to support the evolving needs of a global workforce. Expereo, a global provider of managed network solutions, serves 60% of Fortune 500 companies in over 190 countries, enhancing productivity and network performance.