MENLO PARK, Calif., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Busy information technology (IT) departments are getting busier by the day, a new survey shows. Two-thirds (66 percent) of chief information officers (CIOs) polled said their IT teams have more on their plates than 12 months ago, while only 4 percent of respondents noted a decline in work levels. The vast majority of those reporting growing workloads (86 percent) attributed the increase to taking on new projects.

The national poll includes responses from more than 1,400 CIOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis.

CIOs were asked, "How has the workload of your IT staff changed in the past 12 months?" Their responses:

Increased significantly 29% Increased somewhat 37% No change 30% Decreased 4% 100%

Those citing an increase were asked, "Would you say the increased workload on existing IT staff is more the result of decreased staff size or new projects being initiated?" Their responses:

New projects 86% Decreased staff 8% Both 4% Other 1% Don't know/no answer 1% 100%

"An improving economy has prompted many companies to move forward with business expansion initiatives," said Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology. "Recent government regulations requiring tighter controls on corporate data also are placing greater demands on IT departments."

Lee cautions that in order to remain competitive and avoid burnout among valued employees, companies must ensure their teams have the capacity to handle new business initiatives. "Supervisors should regularly review workers' ongoing assignments to ensure their to-do lists are manageable. This also will help determine if tasks should be redistributed or if additional contract or full-time personnel are required to support core staff."

With more than 100 locations in North America and Europe, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network engineering and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at http://www.rht.com/.

CONTACT: Joel Dibble of Robert Half Technology, +1-650-234-6288, or
joel.dibble@rht.com

Web site: http://www.rhii.com/

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