State of the Market

[avonleigh]

Sorry to say that is simply not true, I'd say that a large majority of jobs ads I looked at in the last 6 months have all been hybrid with varying amount of days required in the office. There's still people with fully remote positions (me included) but those often started back in the Covid days when this was the norm, new positions seem to be moving away from that more and more.

Yes sorry I didn't mean fully remote. But hybrid working.

[edison]

Gartner's global 2025 tech exec/CIO survey that came out last week suggests things aren't going to get noticeably better this year.

"80% of CIOs surveyed expect to increase their investments in strong foundational capabilities and technologies such as cybersecurity, AI/GenAI, BI and data analytics, or integration technologies/APIs. Data centres are forecast to see the largest increase in spending with a rise of 23% this year."

However, Gartner says "much of the increase in CIO budgets will be gobbled up by price rises with CIOs deferring or even scaling back budgets in real terms."

"All major categories are reflecting higher-than-expected prices, prompting CIOs to defer and scale back their true budget expectations."

I did a strategic IT budget spending review with a large organisation recently and supplier price rises for 25/26, particularly for SaaS licencing, were becoming a real challenge.

Oh well...

[SchumiStars]

Apparently the end vendor only wanted someone from a list of European countries. Comforting to see it isn't just the UK that has stopped knowing what it is doing

Sorry to say that is simply not true, I'd say that a large majority of jobs ads I looked at in the last 6 months have all been hybrid with varying amount of days required in the office. There's still people with fully remote positions (me included) but those often started back in the Covid days when this was the norm, new positions seem to be moving away from that more and more.

I agree.

What will happen is that there will be a return to office and immigration will be there to address that.

You can dig your heels in but at some you will be too expensive or not flexible to accomadate the working conditions set by the contract and they will hire from the thousands available.

It's certainly not a time to be defiant of change.

[avonleigh]

I agree.

What will happen is that there will be a return to office and immigration will be there to address that.

You can dig your heels in but at some you will be too expensive or not flexible to accomadate the working conditions set by the contract and they will hire from the thousands available.

It's certainly not a time to be defiant of change.

Sorry don't agree at all. A lot of projects now involve consultancies. Why would they want people onsite when they have to cover consultant's travel, hotels etc?

[SchumiStars]

Sorry don't agree at all. A lot of projects now involve consultancies. Why would they want people onsite when they have to cover consultant's travel, hotels etc?

The same reason why they want the permi workforce back to the office, I suppose. I mean prior to COVID, everyone worked in the office, there was not a problem with it then.

Hopefully, then, London rates will return to be higher than national rates. Alot of people moved out of London and still maintained their salaries and day rates, which is not completely agreeable TBH.

London rates should be for londoners if we do ever return to anything resembling a congient workforce.

[sadkingbilly]

The same reason why they want the permi workforce back to the office, I suppose. I mean prior to COVID, everyone worked in the office, there was not a problem with it then.

Hopefully, then, London rates will return to be higher than national rates. Alot of people moved out of London and still maintained their salaries and day rates, which is not completely agreeable TBH.

London rates should be for londoners if we do ever return to anything resembling a congient workforce.

1 - no they didn't.
2 AYCOTBAC?
3 rates are negotiated and are between client/contractor.
regardless of location.

[dsc]

Sorry don't agree at all. A lot of projects now involve consultancies. Why would they want people onsite when they have to cover consultant's travel, hotels etc?

Imho consultancies are on different rules, they will be allowed to work remotely as they operate more like an actual "contractor" ie. someone who does a set amount of work, so doubt it matters where their workers are located. They can always bring in a lead eng to the office and keep the rest of the team wherever they live, otherwise the consultancy would want more money to cover their costs.

[gables]

Hopefully, then, London rates will return to be higher than national rates. Alot of people moved out of London and still maintained their salaries and day rates, which is not completely agreeable TBH.

London rates should be for londoners if we do ever return to anything resembling a congient workforce.

Surely a contractor rate is set by the skills\knowledge\experience required not where they live, you might try to negotiate a higher rate because you live in London to cover living costs, likewise someone who lives further out might negotiate a higher rate to cover travel\hotel costs.

And what criteria are you setting to qualify what a Londoner is... within earshot of Bow bells? maybe within the 406\205 ring road? or within the M25?

We work in IT, surely moving out of somewhere expensive, using technology and maintaining the rate is ideal?

[SchumiStars]

Surely a contractor rate is set by the skills\knowledge\experience required not where they live, you might try to negotiate a higher rate because you live in London to cover living costs, likewise someone who lives further out might negotiate a higher rate to cover travel\hotel costs.

And what criteria are you setting to qualify what a Londoner is... within earshot of Bow bells? maybe within the 406\205 ring road? or within the M25?

We work in IT, surely moving out of somewhere expensive, using technology and maintaining the rate is ideal?

Sorry, I mean London office workers. A London officer contractor previously earned more due to the location and difficulty filling the role.

WFH, the same job could be sent nationally or even internationally.

If we don't want the work to be sent to cheaper, off-shore teams then we have to get back to the offices. Making it more difficult for companies to out-source to remote developers in remote countries.

WFH, is giving companies opportunities to outsource and to use contractors outside the country which will be outside IR35.

Reducing WFH, means we are all back in the offices working on high rates, what we want right?

....and I have raised the question many times, why would a company want to hire a remote worker in the UK on £500pd when they can get someone for £300pd, if they both work from home, on UK time, regardless of location.

[GJABS]

WFH, is giving companies opportunities to outsource and to use contractors outside the country which will be outside IR35.

No it isn't, that opportunity is there for companies just the same if every worker in the UK is in the office.