To help companies build the best teams to support digital initiatives, Robert Half Technology has published a new white paper, Staffing Digital Projects: Aligning the Right Resources for Success, available at https://www.roberthalf.com/research-and-insights/workplace-research/building-successful-tech-teams-for-online-projects?utm_campaign=RHT_Digital_Staffing.

The research is based on surveys developed by Robert Half Technology that include responses from nearly 500 technology professionals with hiring authority in North America and more than 2,500 CIOs in the United States. It also features insights from technology leaders who have helped their companies with digital transformation.

Among the key findings:

• Digital skills divide: More than three quarters of technology leaders (77 percent) said it is somewhat or very challenging for their company to find professionals with up-to-date digital skills today. The top digital skills most lacking on their teams include:

• Web and user experience design

• Data science and data analysis

• Content creation and content marketing

• Growth engineering, hacking

• Social media marketing and online community management

• Web development

• Stretched thin: Over half of technology professionals (53 percent) believe their department is somewhat or severely understaffed. The top areas they would add team members are:

• Programming and systems analysis

• Business analysis

• Security

• Project management

• Barriers to success: Sixty-five percent of technology leaders cited a dearth of digital-savvy leadership as the top barrier to success for their company's digital marketing strategy. Insufficient budget; a lack of collaboration among IT, creative and marketing teams; and a skills gap on creative and marketing teams followed.

"Technology teams help drive many of the digital initiatives that organizations are implementing, but the demand to keep up can outpace their ability to adequately staff projects," said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology. "Our research shows companies look to improve cross-organizational collaboration, increase innovation and solve for business issues, all while trying to bring the best and brightest digital talent on board."