FEATURE : CIO PROGRESSION
The new CIO – Opening the door to on-demand talent
The CIO role is evolving and the pressure is on for them to play a heightened part in their organisation ’ s strategic direction . Sam Rowlands , Community Director and Co-founder , Distributed , discusses how the postpandemic period has required the CIO to diversify even further and why achieving innovation now increasingly means the efficient management and provision of the tech workforce , rather than the adoption and implementation of digital initiatives .
The pandemic thrust the CIO role firmly into the limelight . In most cases , their workload was rapidly accelerated as they adapted to new challenges . Front and centre was the transition of entire workforces to hybrid and remote work – a transition which in many ways , businesses are still figuring out . As the impact of tech extends to include the management of a contingent workforce , the pressure is on for CIOs to play a heightened role in their organisation ’ s strategic direction .
After the reactive digital strategies of the last two years , CIOs are at a turning point . They now have an opportunity to be more proactive or address
‘ technical debt ’ by re-evaluating the quick fix solutions that were necessary during the pandemic . With so much on their plates , how can they achieve this ? If CIOs are to deliver on new organisational goals , it starts with building the right team around them .
But amid The Great Resignation and a fierce battle for digital skills , this is perhaps one of the most prominent challenges tech leaders are facing . In this context , CIOs must consider alternative approaches to ensure they are winning this battle . Rather than exclusively paying high salaries and competing with rivals , many are exploring a more flexible model .
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