Stress, long hours and staff retention risks dog Irish tech sector as boundless AI ambitions collide with legacy systems and skills shortages.
Three-in-five Irish enterprises are reporting stress or mental health issues amongst their IT workers.
That’s according to new research from Dublin IT consultancy Saros Consulting, which point to growing pressure on technical teams as organisations accelerate digital and AI programmes whilst grappling with outdated systems and persistent talent shortages.
“Putting a proper plan in place can help to alleviate pressure, provide clarity and lead to happier, more fulfilled workers”
The research was carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Saros Consulting, surveying 200 IT decision-makers in large organisations in Ireland.
Legacy systems are holding back innovation
Justin van der Spuy and Ray Armstrong, co-founders and co-CEOs of Saros Consulting
Respondents were asked about stress and mental health issues among IT teams, and the drivers behind them.
The research found that IT workers’ jobs are being made more difficult by the running of legacy systems that slow down progress. Some 59% of IT leaders admit they are running too many legacy systems, while 57% say legacy systems are holding back innovation in their company.
On top of this, six in 10 (61%) large organisations reported that they are seeing scope creep as a significant cause of stress for IT and technical teams. The same proportion (61%) admit that IT and technical teams are working long hours because of talent shortages.
“Our research shows that organisations in Ireland are struggling to address the issue of mental health among IT teams – and the leadership team themselves could even be compounding the issue,” said Ray Armstrong, co-founder and co-CEO of Saros.
“The source of the issue lies in organisations not having a proper IT strategy in place. This means not only coming up with a strategy that is doable, but also one that works in tandem with the business and its goals. Putting a proper plan in place can help to alleviate pressure, provide clarity and lead to happier, more fulfilled workers.”
The research highlights that financially, there is an upside for IT workers amid the talent shortages. It reveals that 59% have given an IT or technical team member a 50%+ pay increase to discourage them from leaving. This underlines the lengths large organisations are willing to go to retain skilled IT talent in an increasingly competitive market.
To ease the burden, organisations are also outsourcing IT work. Almost a quarter (24%) of IT decision-makers in large organisations say outsourced project management can help to reduce stress among technical team members.
“The sharp rise in cyber threats, coupled with the AI boom and severe staff shortages, have meant that IT teams are under a lot of pressure – to a point where it is becoming too much,” explained Justin van der Spuy, co-founder and co-CEO of Saros.
“IT has become the backbone of every organisation: if it ceases to function healthily, then so does the rest of the organisation. IT leaders must look holistically at how they can support their teams. Pay rises alone can’t cure sleep deprivation.”
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