In recent years the N.I. tech industry has proven to be a backbone to the country’s’ economic standing with consecutive growth in the sector year on year. However, despite more growth in 2024 in terms of new tech businesses overall industry growth has been stunted by global economic challenges and a climate of uncertainty in the powers at be. So, what challenges await in 2025 and how can businesses get a leg up in an already highly competitive market?

Understanding the Talent Shortage

By now it is well documented that despite the NI tech sectors continued and rapid growth the talent pool is yet to catch up with the demand. Post Covid has introduced new ways of working across the globe and NI is no exception so what are the main factors contributing to the Talent shortage.

Rapid Industry Growth: The tech sector’s rapid expansion has outpaced the supply of skilled workers. This has eased somewhat in 2024 as there has been a trend of redundancies in the sector especially from larger overseas organisations focussing more on their core base due to economic strife.

Global Competition: Companies worldwide are competing for the same pool of talent, making it difficult to attract and retain top talent. This factor has become a major contributor with the introduction of remote working.

Skills Mismatch: A mismatch between the skills required by employers and those possessed by job seekers can hinder recruitment efforts. Lack of alignment between hiring teams and candidate pools mean lots of time is wasted during the sourcing and screening process.

Brain Drain: Talented individuals may be lured away by higher salaries and better opportunities in other regions or countries.

Strategies to Combat the Talent Shortage

To address this pressing issue, companies in Northern Ireland can implement the following strategies:

Recruit

Enhance your Talent Brand – In a highly visible world its ever more important to share your team’s working experiences with the talent network. Leverage your team training days, push and gather positive experience reviews from current talent intake, current team, exiting staff members and publish interesting or good news stories like charity incentives or new product releases on popular social media channels. Word of mouth isn’t gone but it’s no longer enough either!

Apprenticeships and Internships: Partner with educational institutions to create apprenticeship and internship programs that attract young talent and nurture future leaders.

Work with Specialist Talent Agencies: Will often have access to hard-to-reach talent or have connections with ideal candidates from working closely in the sector that otherwise your internal recruitment resources wouldn’t have access to. Recruiters should also be able to educate your company on their current market reputation and how competitive your package is as they speak frequently with the candidate base. Use this knowledge to enhance your candidate attraction.

AI-Powered Recruitment Tools: Employ AI-powered recruitment tools to streamline the hiring process although not ready to replace human interaction AI can already streamline processes such as CV collection and summary, create better job descriptions and ads, automated communications with your talent pipeline and more.

Strong Company Culture: Cultivate a positive and inclusive company culture that attracts and retains top talent. Tools now exist to help bring a data driven approach to culture fit of your new hires. Embrace these tools to identify the best behavioural patterns in incoming staff and create alignment with hiring panel.

Retain

Strong Company Culture: Cultivate a positive and inclusive company culture that attracts and retains top talent. Tools now exist to help bring a data driven approach to culture fit of your new hires. Embrace these tools to identify the best behavioural patterns in incoming staff and create alignment with hiring panel.

Robust Training and On-boarding Programs: Offer comprehensive training programs to upskill and reskill existing employees. This can help develop a strong internal talent pipeline.

Remote Work: We can all agree that remote working isn’t going anywhere. Some companies have tried to push back to full time office attendance making sourcing new talent incredibly difficult. From speaking with the market Hybrid is the new preferred option with flexibility being the key rather than hard and fast rotas

Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits: Use your agency recruitment partners and other resources to gather salary guides, benefits comparisons, travel opportunities and any extras that other companies who you compete with for talent offer to ensure your offering is competitive

Visible progression: Having clear visibility of how and where a candidate can progress to within your organisation is key to retaining top talent.

Develop

Foster a learning environment: After salary and security skills and career progression are the top factors considered by staff to change roles. Whether it’s team training days or individual certification schemes ensure your organisation has a way for it’s staff to continue to skill up. Empower your team further by having senior members educate and act as an example for junior members who aspire to progress through the business.

Engage with HR Internal or Specialist Partner: HR is not about recruiting! If engaged with a HR partner spend time educating them about your company, the culture and the challenges that exist to growth and staff retention. Often, they can identify issues you didn’t know where there as well as develop robust plans on how to solve them.

Empower Learning and Achievement: Create incentives based on new learnings such as bonuses for new certifications, funding and giving time back to staff to gain new certs can go a long way. Celebrate staff who bring new skills and knowledge to your roles etc.

Shout about your staff success stories: Share content related to promotions, new hires, work anniversaries and more to not only attract new talent but inspire current teams to become the best version of themselves.

In reality the above only scratches the surface at identifying some of the potential hurdles ahead nevertheless the strategies laid out above if implemented well should help any organisation with growth aspirations in 2025. The one definite and constant we can all look forward to is change in the hiring landscape its sure to be another interesting year ahead.

In today’s fast-paced global workplace, the importance of diversity and inclusion can’t be overstated. Workplace diversity isn’t just a trend—it’s a business imperative that fuels innovation, fosters creativity, and drives growth. Yet, for many women, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, navigating a multicultural work environment comes with unique challenges. This blog dives into diversity from a woman’s perspective, offering insights on the benefits, challenges, and actionable steps toward a more inclusive, equitable workplace.

Why Diversity Matters?

Workplace diversity matters because if everything was a square the world would be a boring place! From a woman’s perspective, diversity is essential for not only fostering a balanced work environment but also for addressing the underrepresentation and biases women often encounter. Personal stories bring to light the lived experiences behind these issues, adding depth and nuance to the conversation about diversity. By examining diversity through the lens of a woman’s journey, we can better understand its impact on individual and organizational growth, and the value it brings to the workplace.

Personal Story: My Experience with Workplace Diversity

I have been very fortunate to have travelled widely and worked in different geographies. Diversity for me is beyond gender. It is about embracing your own heritage, culture and thought process with an open and accepting mind towards people from different backgrounds.
Having grown up in a mountain town in India to working in geographies with people from different walks of life has helped me shape my personality and beliefs in a more open and broader way.

Workplace inclusivity has been a game changer. Very recently I have celebrated Diwali the festival of lights with my colleagues here at Corvus People and it was a delight to see everyone participating and eager to learn and understand about a different culture and this does create a sense of belonging and inclusivity.

The Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace

A diverse workplace unlocks new opportunities for creativity, innovation, and improved team dynamics. Teams comprising individuals from various backgrounds and perspectives are more adept at problem-solving and decision-making. When women and other underrepresented groups share their perspectives, they introduce new ways of thinking that enhance overall team performance. Research shows that companies with high gender diversity in leadership roles outperform their less-diverse counterparts, as diversity helps reduce groupthink, encourages fresh ideas, and supports more effective decision-making. By fostering an environment where diverse voices are heard, businesses can drive innovation and establish a competitive edge in today’s global economy.

Challenges Women Face in a Diverse Workplace

Despite the benefits, women—especially those from diverse backgrounds—face significant challenges in the workplace. These may include biases, microaggressions, and underrepresentation, all of which can hinder career progression. For example, unconscious biases may affect hiring, promotions, and project assignments, limiting women’s opportunities. Microaggressions, though subtle, create an uncomfortable work environment, impacting women’s morale and engagement. Additionally, a lack of representation often translates into a lack of mentorship and sponsorship opportunities, essential for professional growth. Addressing these challenges is crucial, as they not only impact women’s experiences and satisfaction but also limit an organization’s ability to realize the full benefits of a truly inclusive culture.

Strategies for Promoting Diversity and Inclusion

Creating a more inclusive workplace requires actionable steps and a commitment to change. Leaders play a pivotal role in championing diversity initiatives by setting the tone, leading by example, and holding their teams accountable. Allyship and mentorship are equally important, offering support and guidance to women and underrepresented groups. Encouraging open communication about diversity can foster a more transparent culture where individuals feel empowered to share their experiences. Additionally, implementing training programs on unconscious bias and cultural awareness can help employees understand and address their own biases, further promoting a more inclusive workplace environment.

Conclusion: Embracing Diversity for a Better Future

Diversity is more than a goal; it’s a continuous journey toward creating a more equitable and dynamic workplace. By fostering an inclusive environment, organizations can unlock the full potential of their teams and drive meaningful change. Each of us has a role to play in promoting diversity—whether by supporting a colleague, advocating for fair practices, or simply keeping an open mind. Let’s embrace diversity to build a brighter, more inclusive future where everyone can succeed and thrive.