42% of IT Professionals Are Exploring New Jobs: IT Talent Trends 2025 Report From Info-Tech Research Group Spotlights Retention Risks and Opportunities
Career Climbers / December 19th, 2024
Info-Tech Research Group, one of the leading global IT research and advisory firms, has released its annual IT Talent Trends report. IT Talent Trends 2025 provides a data-driven analysis of the shifting dynamics in IT talent management. The report examines how generative AI, evolving skills demands, and workforce restructuring are reshaping the IT landscape and provides leaders with actionable strategies to tackle these challenges while considering how to foster innovation and employee experience in 2025.
‘With 89% of IT structures undergoing some form of a redesign in 2025, we are going to see the way we lead, leverage IT skills, and deliver against emerging capabilities change rapidly,’ says Brittany Lutesresearch director and lead author of the report. ‘The IT Talent Trends 2025 report offers valuable insights and practical strategies to help leaders address workforce challenges, support employee growth, and adapt to the exponentially changing IT landscape.’
The IT Talent Trends 2025 report is based on a survey of over 500 IT professionals conducted online by Info-Tech in partnership with Centiment between April and May 2024. Respondents, primarily from the United States, Canadaetc Australianot only provided responses on their IT structures, the future of IT leadership, and their own employee experiences but also insight into how generative AI will reshape their work.
‘This year’s report highlights the universal challenges facing IT leaders, including widening skills gaps, persistent workforce pressures, and the complexities of integrating transformative technologies like generative AI,‘ says Michelle van Wijksenior executive advisor at Info-Tech Research Group, UK. ‘For the UK, these challenges are amplified by its position as a global leader in innovation, placing unique pressures on organizations to adapt quickly while setting the pace for others. To maintain their competitive edge, organizations must prioritize creating sustainable talent pipelines, thoughtfully integrating AI, and supporting employees to meet the evolving demands of the digital economy. By aligning innovation with workforce development, the UK can continue to set the standard for global tech leadership.’
Info-Tech’s findings reveal the growing urgency for organizations to adapt to shifting workforce dynamics. With 42% of IT professionals actively or passively seeking new roles, often citing work-life balance and having a good manager as their main concerns, the firm advises that organizations must focus on retaining all IT talent while also identifying the obstacles.
‘What is most notable is the divide we saw between those who are entering the workforce and representative of Gen Z employees versus those nearing the end of their careers,’ says Lutes. ‘Gen Z is more likely to think that skills need to change to support the future we are driving towards and more likely to believe their tasks can be taken over by AI. These findings highlight the urgent need for IT leaders to evolve their talent management strategies to stay competitive in a rapidly changing landscape.’
Demand for security, cloud, and AI professionals, coupled with the growing need to leverage organizationally embedded IT, is reshaping workforce planning and driving the need for adaptive and forward-thinking strategies.
‘The integration of generative AI, combined with reskilling initiatives, provides organizations with a unique opportunity to bridge skill gaps and foster a culture of innovation,’ explains Lutes. ‘However, achieving success requires thoughtful planning – aligning AI-driven strategies with workforce empowerment and collaboration beyond just a skills-based hiring approach.’
The IT Talent Trends 2025 report identifies five key trends shaping IT talent management:
- Generative AI: A Transformative Enabler
The firm reports that by 2030, 66% of IT employees anticipate greater autonomy in their roles, enabled by generative AI. This shift has the potential to significantly enhance IT’s value creation for organizations, as employees will be able to dedicate more time to strategic initiatives and innovation. However, to capitalize on this potential, Info-Tech cautions that organizations need to proactively implement AI tools thoughtfully and strategically, investing in upskilling programs to equip IT professionals with the necessary skills to leverage AI effectively. This type of approach is critical given that 65% of organizations anticipate structural changes as a result of incorporating generative AI into their strategies, indicating the transformative impact this technology is expected to have on IT departments. - Restructuring IT Organizations for the Future
While 55% of respondents believe their current IT structures are effective for today, 89% recognize the need to redesign their IT organization to future-proof their operations and better align with evolving business demands. These findings suggest that while current IT structures may be functioning adequately for now, IT leaders are proactively anticipating future challenges and recognizing the need to adapt to stay ahead of the curve. Key drivers include critical skills shortages, generative AI integration, and the rise of business-led IT functions, requiring both technical and cultural adjustments. These adjustments may consist of establishing specialized AI teams, integrating IT functions more closely with business units, or adopting more agile and flexible operating models to accommodate evolving demands. The shift away from traditional, rigid pyramid hierarchies toward flatter, more dynamic structures is becoming increasingly necessary to support innovation and adaptability. This wave of restructuring is expected to have a significant impact on the IT talent landscape, leading to the increased need for specialized skills, a shift in required competencies for IT leaders, and a greater focus on attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive market. - Skills Gap and the Urgency of Reskilling
A significant 95% of survey respondents acknowledge that some, most, or all of their current IT skills will need to change by 2030 to keep pace with the exponentially evolving technology environment. This finding emphasizes the pressing need for continuous reskilling, particularly in areas like cybersecurity and AI/ML, which 38% of leaders identified as critical for 2025. While this data highlights a widespread recognition of the need for upskilling, a concerning 51% believe that only some skills require updating, indicating a potential underestimation of the scale of transformation occurring in the IT industry. According to Info-Tech’s research, organizations that fail to invest in developing their IT workforce risk being left behind in terms of innovation and efficiency. Dependence on external resources to address internal skills gaps may become increasingly unviable, making internal reskilling efforts essential. - Bridging the Employee Experience Disconnect
While 86% of IT leaders indicate they are prioritizing improving the employee experience (EX), their efforts may be misdirected, as 39% of IT employees reveal that reliable digital tools and technology have the greatest impact on their experience. Organizations are performing well in areas like physical space and social relationships but are falling behind when it comes to the impactful areas IT employees care about, like digital and culture. This disconnect underscores the need for organizations to align EX investments with employee expectations, particularly in hybrid and remote work environments where seamless digital experiences are critical for productivity and job satisfaction. Given the increasing adoption of flexible work arrangements, in 2025, organizations must prioritize providing a user-friendly, efficient, and reliable digital experience for their employees to enhance engagement and optimize performance. - CIOs on the Path to CEO
As technology increasingly becomes central to business strategy, 23% of respondents view the CEO position as the logical next step for CIOs, which is a reflection of the evolving prominence of CIOs in organizations, with many already reporting directly to the CEO. However, this transition requires CIOs to expand their leadership capabilities beyond technical expertise, including developing stronger strategic and business acumen. While 23% see it as a natural progression, only 11% of respondents indicated that a CEO or a senior executive role was their ultimate career goal. Another 13% aspire to other C-suite roles, including some positions that are emerging or don’t yet exist, suggesting that the future of leadership in organizations may look quite different from traditional structures, with technology expertise playing a vital role in a range of new leadership positions over the coming years.
Key Research Insights From Info-Tech’s IT Talent Trends 2025 Report:
- Generative AI Impact: 65% of organizations anticipate structural changes due to generative AI, including the formation of specialized AI teams.
- Stress Among IT Leaders: 76% of IT managers report moderate or increasing stress levels, underscoring the need for enhanced leadership support and resources.
- Hiring Difficulties: 36% of IT organizations reported that infrastructure and operations roles were the most difficult to hire for, calling attention to the cloud talent shortage – another critical area of IT.
- Embedded IT growth: The rise of business-led IT is evident, with organizations nearly doubling the amount of embedded IT they leverage (18% in 2024 and up to 33% in 2025). This indicates that business units are actively using their own resources to address IT-related needs – with or without IT knowledge.
- Generational Differences in AI Perceptions: Generational divides exist in perceptions of AI, with Gen Z employees estimating a higher percentage of their tasks being completed by AI in 2030 (56%) compared to Baby Boomers (43%) and Generation X (41%).
According to Info-Tech’s findings in the recently published report, success in 2025 and beyond hinges on IT leaders’ ability to combine technological innovation with strategic foresight and human-centric leadership. By integrating AI capabilities, investing in reskilling programs, and fostering employee-centric policies, Info-Tech advises that organizations can address talent gaps and create adaptive, resilient workforces. A holistic approach to workforce transformation will empower IT departments to thrive in the face of rapid technological change and secure a lasting competitive edge.
To learn more about Info-Tech’s findings and recommended strategies for addressing IT talent challenges, download the IT Talent Trends 2025 report.
