Will job losses in the software industry continue for the foreseeable future?
The software industry is constantly evolving and changing, and job losses or gains can depend on a variety of factors, including technological advancements, economic conditions, and shifts in consumer demand. While it’s difficult to predict the future with certainty, there are a few trends and factors that may impact job growth in the software industry in the coming years.
Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards remote work and digital transformation, which has increased demand for software and digital solutions across a variety of industries. This could lead to continued job growth in software development and related fields for certain roles.
However, as an example of how quickly things change in tech, companies that were desperately hiring staff only months ago are now desperately sacking them. For example, according to a recent article about tech job cuts published in news.com.au, Atlassian just announced they were sacking 500 staff when only months ago their aim was to hire over 1000. Of course, the roles they were hiring for and the roles they are now shedding may not be the same ones, but this constitutes 5% of their payroll and the turnaround is dizzying in speed.
Furthermore, rampant inflation is curbing spending generally and this may equate to reducing team sizes. Plus, there are concerns about automation and the potential for artificial intelligence to replace certain jobs in the software industry. This could lead to job losses in some areas, particularly for roles that involve repetitive or routine tasks.
Another very important factor to consider is that as working remotely becomes easier, so also does it become easier to employ people from other countries. Many, if not most, of these people are paid an hourly fee directly or through a third party. That fee may not include superannuation or other benefits that we take for granted in Australia. Companies may go offshore because they can’t find staff locally, but often they will go offshore simply because those people are cheaper. This may mean that job losses are being experienced here in Australia only because those jobs are being shifted offshore. That’s small consolation for the local people losing their jobs, of course.
Overall, it’s difficult to predict the future of the software industry and whether job losses will continue or not. It’s important for individuals in the industry to stay current on the latest trends and developments, and to continue building their skills and knowledge to remain competitive in a rapidly changing job market.
#digital #jobs #growth #future #software #digitaltransformation #artificialintelligence #automation #softwaredevelopment #covid #remotework
Founder and Editor of Daily Beacon. Building and advising on complex, large scale Cloud Tech solutions. Founder and CEO at Onboard Manager and Laneways Software & Digital. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. www.lanewayssd.com.au