10 Actions organizations can take to handle the shortage of professional developers

Quixy Editorial Team

November 7, 2023

The need for more professional developers to meet the current demand is no longer a myth. Shortage of professional developers a very real problem facing the tech world today. With the many digital innovation projects and all companies looking to make the best use of technology and get themselves future-ready, there are simply not enough skilled professional developers to meet the demand.

In 2021 there was a shortage of 40 million developers and engineers worldwide. This number is not looking good now either, and this trend is set to continue. By 2030 it is predicted that the developer shortage will reach 85.2 million.

Fortunately, the world is also facing a boom of citizen developers who are rising to the challenge and leading digital innovation in their industries. Not sure what that is or how citizen development could take your business to the next level? Keep reading as we go over ways to incorporate citizen developers seamlessly into your company and sidestep the shortage of professional developers.

Here is a quick rundown of some of the major reasons for the developer shortage

• Extreme growth in the industry-leading to high competition for limited talent
• Lack of skills due to insufficient education
• Excessive strain on existing teams which leads to burnout

Why is adopting citizen development the best solution to combat the shortage of professional developers?

We know! It’s a huge claim! But hear us out!

Let’s begin by unpacking what citizen development is.

Citizen developers are business users who create custom, specific applications suited for their business needs using low code / no code platforms; in other words, citizen developers build applications to solve their business problems without writing a single line of code!

The low code / no code platforms are specifically designed so that anyone can use them to build applications using a simple drag-and-drop method, eliminating the need for developers with extensive IT and coding backgrounds.

Thus, citizen development is revolutionizing the way companies approach application development.

Bridging the gap

Citizen development lets your employees build applications that tackle their specific problems. Because the users who face the problems are the ones creating the applications, it ensures that there is no loss of information in translation, and you get the exact application you want. It is also extremely fast and doesn’t require a huge team and multiple levels of approval, eliminating delays. It also significantly reduces the pressure on your IT team, freeing them up to work on complicated projects. Having citizen developers in your organization ensures that your teams are dynamic, can respond to business needs as and when they arise, and aren’t held back by IT and coding.

Also Read: Why You Need No-Code Skills to Succeed in the Digital World 

What can citizen development do for your employees?

One of the major trends that emerged post-pandemic was burnout. People were overworked and did not enjoy their work, resulting in mass resignation. Citizen development has the unique ability to engage your employees creatively and gives them ownership of their projects, thus improving job satisfaction. It is also great for the company as this ownership will inevitably result in increased engagement and investment in the project’s success.

Upskilling and growth opportunities are something all employees look for. It is essential to nurture talent within your organization by teaching your team about no-code and low-code apps and giving them opportunities to problem-solve by building their applications.

Examples of citizen development accomplishments

Consider the education industry. With no-code and low-code tools, citizen developers can build their own applications to ease communication between students and teachers as well as make it easy for students to track their coursework and progress.

In the hospitality industry, citizen developers can create a custom app that provides their guests with details of their rooms, lets them check in online, smoothens the communication process, and improves customer experience. No more long waiting lines or confusion!

In the transportation industry, citizen developers are coming up with applications that track the real-time movement of goods and provide live updates reducing delays and unnecessary costs.

Thus no-code and low-code applications are helpful in every industry and empower citizen developers to solve business problems without traditional coding knowledge.

Also Read: Become a Citizen Developer in 7 Simple Steps: A How-To Guide 

How to promote citizen development in your organization?

1. Look within your organization

Look for individuals who are interested in developing this skill and nurture it by providing them access to no-code platforms and further encouraging them to create their own applications.

2. Workshops

Workshops are a great way to introduce new technology to your employees and bring them up to speed. It also facilitates knowledge sharing and helps to cultivate interest and skills.

3. Hiring

Ensure that subject matter expertise is preferred over traditional coding /developer experience. This will widen the talent pool and help cultivate citizen developers.

4. Develop Interest

Since citizen development is a fairly new field, it is important to create awareness among college students about its opportunities. This is where your future employees are studying now. It also gives you a chance to hire fresh talent from different streams instead of just IT and computer science majors.

Measures to retain existing professional developers

So now that you know what citizen development can do for you, let us also look at some of the additional ways to retain your existing professional developers

1. Provide Competitive Compensation

This is a crucial factor because of the talent drought. Your top talent will have the opportunity to move to a better-paying job if they are not satisfied with your compensation, as there will always be a demand for top talent. So providing your employees with a competitive salary and benefits is vital to keeping them satisfied and working for your company’s success.

2. Career development opportunities

This is a crucial factor to consider. If you are promoting citizen developers and your employees are upskilling and taking on new tasks, they will expect a better position for their efforts. Giving them a clear growth path and opportunities will make them feel valued and appreciated.

3. Diversity and inclusion

Creating an inclusive workspace where everyone feels welcome and appreciated is essential. Especially in the current scenario, creating a good culture is one of the best ways to attract top talent. This will not only improve the quality of work and ideas but also promote a healthy work environment.

4. Remote Working and Flexibility

Flexibility is vital if you want to ensure your top talent remains with you, as well as when you are looking to hire new people. Work-from-home became the new normal during the pandemic, and this is still a preference for several employees for its many benefits. Being open to remote work is a great way to ensure you give your employees the flexibility they need to do their best work!

Combating talent shortage using outsourcing and off-shoring

1. Talent outsourcing

Talent outsourcing is a great option to consider if you are facing a massive shortage of professional developers. This will free up your team to focus on core activities and minimize costs, including costs of hiring and staff expansion.

2. Off-shoring

Off-shoring is another option to move away from competing with other companies. Collaboration with off-shore companies opens you up to look at international talent. It is also cost-effective and gives you great results.

Conclusion

Thus despite the shortage of professional developers, there are several steps that you can take now to ensure your company can avoid facing a major setback. It is all about innovative solutions that set apart great companies from others, and citizen development is the first step in that journey!

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