The Great Recalibration: IT Workforce Trends Every CIO Should Watch This Summer
- bberrodin
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
As we dive into the second half of 2025, CIOs are facing a technology labor landscape unlike any other. The convergence of accelerated digital transformation, heightened cyber threats, and the evolution of AI has launched a Great Recalibration, forcing organizations to rethink their talent strategies, reskill their workforces, and reassess where expertise truly matters.
Here’s what every IT leader should have on their radar this summer as they forecast talent needs and project success for Q3 and Q4.
IT Workforce Trends
AI Reskilling: The Talent Gap Gets Smarter
Generative AI has moved from curiosity to necessity, and with it, the demand for AI-literate talent is surging. Yet most organizations are grappling with a critical shortfall: reskilled internal talent that can operationalize AI tools responsibly, securely, and at scale.
What CIOs should do:
Launch or accelerate internal AI literacy programs—especially for business analysts, data scientists, and developers.
Prioritize hands-on training that connects AI tools (like Copilots, LLMs, and automation scripts) to real business outcomes.
Partner with external consultants or staffing firms who can fill the AI expertise gap while internal teams ramp up.
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Watch For: Roles that blend AI + domain knowledge (e.g., AI + HR systems or AI + financial planning) will become high-value and hard to find.
Cybersecurity Demand Heats Up
As geopolitical tensions simmer and ransomware threats evolve, cybersecurity talent continues to command a premium. However, it’s not just penetration testers and red teams in demand—compliance, governance, and security architecture roles are just as critical.
What CIOs should do:
Conduct mid-year security audits with a talent lens. What roles are critical to maintain coverage during year-end reporting or regulatory deadlines?
Plan for Q4 project spikes by securing interim cybersecurity experts now.
Look beyond certifications—real-world incident response experience matters most.
Pro Tip: The upcoming holiday season will once again be a prime time for cyberattacks. Get your response teams staffed and stress-tested early.
Workday Expertise Is in the Spotlight
The Workday ecosystem is seeing a major shift. With 2025R2 rolling out in September, companies are preparing for everything from FDM changes and compliance updates to new extensibility features via Workday Extend.
The problem? Workday consultants—especially those with functional and technical cross-skills—are in short supply.
What CIOs should do:
Plan now for project staffing (especially for post-R2 optimization or module expansion).
Use the summer to backfill operational tasks so internal HR and Finance teams can focus on testing and change management.
Tap into Workday-certified external experts like BGSF to stay ahead of deployment challenges and maximize ROI.
Emerging Trend: More organizations are leveraging flexible, project-based Workday staffing to balance cost control with agility.
Strategic Flexibility Wins
The second half of the year will be about adapting fast to new threats, emerging AI capabilities, and internal skill gaps. The CIOs who thrive will be those who blend smart workforce forecasting with just-in-time expertise.
Whether you're gearing up for a Q4 ERP upgrade, navigating AI adoption, or tightening your security perimeter, make sure your talent strategy is as future-focused as your technology roadmap.
Need support recalibrating your IT workforce? Whether it’s AI consultants, cybersecurity experts, or Workday-certified talent, BGSF delivers flexible workforce solutions to help you stay ahead of change. Contact us today!
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