With GDPR only eight months away, UK CIOs are bracing for impact by hiring additional staff.
A report has produced findings that show 66% of UK CIOs are looking to hire additional permanent staff, specifically to handle the arrival of the new EU issued regulation.
In addition to this, 64% of UK CIOs are planning to bring temporary staff on board to manage the transition period when GDPR becomes active.
The recruitment specialist Robert Half gathered these UK statistics in a new study on the regulation. Also highlighted in the report are the specific roles that have become more sought to ensure compliance.
Permanent project managers have are now 33% more in demand, while data protection officers and business analysts are both 26% more desirable to UK firms.
The uptick in pre GDPR hiring has also brought a range of specific skills into the spotlight; for example, knowledge of analytics is 44% more important to hiring CIOs of UK firms.
It is unsurprising that skills in regulation and compliance are 38% more desirable, but the report also shows that communication skills are increasingly required, now found to be 39% more advantageous.
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Phil Sheridan, Senior Managing Director at Robert Half UK, UAE and South America, said: “As demand for candidates with the required technical and project management skills reaches fever pitch, business should seek out those with the transferable skills required to ensure compliance. While GDPR certified practioners are in short supply, project managers and business analysts with experience in MiFID ll and SOX, among others, with have the requisite skills to support, particularly on an interim and project basis.”
The report also highlights a contrast between small and medium sized businesses (SMB) and larger organisations. SMBs are more inclined to bring project managers on board in preparation for GDPR, while the larger businesses will look to data protection officers more specifically.
