Sustainable IT capacity requires more than just temporarily addressing shortages. Research conducted by Ipsos I&O on behalf of LINKIT shows that 34% of organizations are experiencing delays in ongoing projects and other work. Temporary hiring is widely used to address these shortages. However, the success of IT capacity is closely tied to its structure and the extent to which the organization is prepared for it.
We answer three questions:
- What role does the choice of technology play in building IT capacity?
- How does planning help in finding the right IT specialist?
- How do you ensure the right balance between internal and external teams?
Sustainable IT capacity in times of scarcity
The report, conducted by Ipsos I&O on behalf of LINKIT, shows that 4 in 10 organizations are experiencing a shortage of IT staff. Workloads are increasing, and tasks are piling up. As a result, many organizations are prioritising daily tasks to keep systems running.
But this often leaves IT professionals with less time for innovation. Yet an IT department must be prepared for the future. Niels de Bruin, Head of Commerce at LINKIT:
“We don’t know what will be possible in five years or what technologies will be available. As an organization, you need to be able to anticipate that.” 
To combine daily operations with innovation, organizations often hire temporary IT professionals. This allows them to quickly add extra capacity and deploy targeted expertise for specific projects. As a result, you can continue to handle daily management while simultaneously working on innovation.
However, this approach requires targeted decisions in three areas: the technology you use, capacity planning, and the structure of your teams.
Technology selection and its impact on IT capacity
The report shows that a significant part of the shortage in the IT sector is not due to the number of people, but to their skills. Organizations often consider a technology’s reliability, innovation, and speed. But in doing so, they overlook the fact that they also need people with knowledge of that specific technology. If there are not enough IT professionals in the labour market, it may mean the chosen technology is not successfully implemented.
For example, a public-sector organization acquired new technology, but the specialists needed to manage and expand it were unavailable. They invested not only money but also a great deal of time in this innovation. Niels:
“The availability of capacity must be a standard part of the decision-making process.“
Technology selection is therefore not just a technical or functional consideration, but also a capacity issue. If you choose a technology with a small talent pool, that has direct consequences for how quickly you can develop.  
That doesn’t mean you should avoid such technologies. In some cases, the benefits are so great that it’s still the right choice. However, that does require a well-thought-out plan that takes into account the impact on your capacity. Consider training employees or temporarily bringing in external specialists.
IT partners can provide support in this area. For example, our specialists developed a training program that quickly prepared new employees for both data engineering and the organization’s specific technologies. This not only solved the capacity issue but also strengthened the organization’s long-term capabilities.
Planning ahead for IT capacity
The organizations that achieve the best results often have a clear vision for the future. They know exactly which technology will be used, what internal knowledge is available, and what external expertise is needed—and when. This allows you to start looking for a consultant with the right expertise well in advance. In this way, planning leads to the selection of the best candidate.
However, this isn’t always how things work in practice. For example, a project might stall, or internal staff might leave, creating an immediate capacity shortage. In this case, you need to find an IT professional on short notice. Niels:
“But when you hire reactively, you get the best candidate available at that moment. That isn’t always the most suitable person.”
You can also decide how to source external capacity. This can be done through a public marketplace, where any freelancer or IT staffing provider can sign up. That results in many options, but also a lot of work coordinating them. By entering into a long-term relationship with an IT partner, an organization can negotiate better terms. For example, by collaborating on capacity planning, knowledge sharing, and cost savings.
The right balance between internal and external teams
Hiring external IT professionals can be highly beneficial for a team, but it also carries risks. Knowledge may not transfer to internal staff, or consultants may be unwilling to commit long-term. In this context, team structure is crucial. Does an organization work exclusively with internal teams, or primarily with external ones? Or with hybrid teams? That strategy looks different for every organization.
In an education-sector organization, for example, projects are carried out entirely by internal employees. And to handle those employees’ day-to-day tasks, they hire external staff. They do this because industry knowledge is important in the project teams. Niels: “So this client is looking for temporary IT professionals for roles that aren’t particularly innovative.”
“There is a risk that consultants will be less willing to commit for longer periods. These are choices an organization needs to consider.”
In the opposite scenario, where only external consultants are assigned to innovative projects, there are other risks. For example, knowledge may not be absorbed into the organisation and may be lost when the consultant leaves. Then an organization becomes dependent on external knowledge, or teams may come to a standstill due to a lack of expertise. 
Conclusion
Sustainable IT capacity does not develop on its own. It requires coherent decisions regarding technology, capacity planning, and team structure. Organizations that take a forward-looking approach are better able to cope with shortages while simultaneously leaving room for innovation. While no single choice is inherently right or wrong, it is important to understand the impact of those choices and be prepared for them.
Would you like to learn more about how organizations manage IT capacity and where the biggest challenges lie?
Explore all the insights from the LINKIT and Ipsos I&O study, or schedule a no-obligation session with our experts.
