The Talent Crunch

One of the greatest challenges that CIOs currently face is a staffing shortage, and, according to carrier hiring managers and staffing firms, the IT talent crunch is only getting tighter. A recent survey of 3,000 workers across industries, including 1,000 hiring managers, conducted by Robert Half International (Menlo Park, Calif.) and online job site CareerBuilder.com (Chicago) reports that 81 percent of hiring managers believe it is equally or more difficult to find qualified candidates than it was 12 months ago.

"The talent crunch is very real," says Margaret Resce Milkint, partner with Chicago-based staffing firm The Jacobson Group. "We have an aging workforce, and boomers are turning 60 this year."

In order for insurers to retain an experienced workforce, Milkint suggests that CIOs focus on open communication and taking the time to create a collaborative culture that also educates employees about business and market issues. "There is a real hunger out there in the workforce," she says. "[Employees] are looking for a leader who will inspire, challenge and push them to the next level."