Tag: it consultants

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Hiring an IT consultant IT Decision-makers

How to manage the onboarding of IT contractors in 5 steps

manage the onboarding of IT contractors
manage the onboarding of IT contractors (2)

Onboarding is the set of actions implemented by the company to integrate its new employees. It corresponds to welcoming and integrating new recruited professionals, as well as investing in their internal career development. We often talk about onboarding for employees, but still little for external resources, such as IT freelancers. And yet, they are often called upon for strategic, long and customer-based assignments. It is important to manage onboarding well, cause a good onboarding system is therefore crucial for the success of their mission! It is therefore important for managing a freelancer to pay particular attention to onboarding.

But how do you properly manage the onboarding of an IT freelancer to get the mission of your tech or IT freelancer off to the best possible start? How to manage onboarding at the beginning of a consultant’s mission?

Discover in our article what are the best practices for managing the onboarding of an IT freelancer.

Why caring about onboarding?

Why take care of the onboarding of IT freelancers? Onboarding management is crucial at the start of a freelancer’s mission. Indeed, setting up a clear internal process can be very beneficial to gain in efficiency and optimize the simultaneous reception of several profiles. As a company, it is essential to establish a clear process for the onboarding of IT freelancers who come to carry out assignments within your company. Because if you have a clear and effective onboarding process, the freelancer will have all the elements in hand to be operational as quickly as possible and start his freelance mission well.

The onboarding of a consultant makes it possible to create a link with the IT freelancer and to lay the foundations for good communication. In addition, the onboarding period makes it possible to ensure that objectives are set and follow-up with the IT freelancer. Finally, the onboarding process will have the effect of involving and retaining the freelancer from the start.

Discover also our article: How to Manage the Offboarding of IT Contractors in 7 Steps !

How to properly manage the onboarding of an IT freelancer?

1. Upstream of the mission

Have you just recruited an IT freelancer? First, to properly manage onboarding, remember to check that the freelancer you have chosen is registered with the Business Formalities Center (CFE) (remember to ask them for a K-bis extract). You must also carry out the control of the obligations of declaration and payment of the social security contributions of the freelancer. Ask for a certificate of vigilance for this. Once these two elements have been verified, you can draft and have the freelancer sign the service contract (or subcontracting if you go through an intermediary). If necessary, you can also provide specific additional contracts such as a confidentiality agreement. Remember at this time to check that the freelancer has the necessary insurance, such as professional liability insurance (RC Pro) which is often essential. Finally define the terms of payment and provide timesheets if necessary.

2. Just before the start of the mission

Just before the start of the mission, it is important to warn all the teams of the arrival of the freelancer. Make sure you explain the scope of the IT professional mission to them. Also make sure to prepare before the arrival of the freelancer the material that will be made available to the new professional in the event that he/she will use the company’s resources. Also ask that their computer access be created prior to their arrival.

It is also a good idea to plan a phone call with the freelancer before the start of their assignment or to send them a comprehensive email with all the useful information for the first day. In fact, if the freelancer comes to work on your premises, it is important to give him/her a certain amount of information such as working hours, what equipment is required or made available. But also what the access or security constraints are, in which department they will be installed and which teams they will have to interact with. Communicating all these elements to the freelancer before he/she arrives will allow a more serenely at start at your company.

3. Ensure the onboarding of the freelancer on the first day of the mission

On the first day of the mission, it is important to give the freelancer a program for his or her first week. You should also give him/her all the materials he/she will need (computer, access badge, etc.). Plan a briefing with the freelancer on company culture, rules, team organization… Also give the freelancer all the technical documentation he needs for his mission from day one. Finally, introduce the freelancer to the whole team. This is necessary to get the consultant’s mission off to a good start.

4. The days following the first day of freelancing

The days following the first day of the start of the freelance mission, organize an individual interview with him/her to set the objectives. Also remember to organize contacts with the key interlocutors for its mission. Throughout the onboarding period, encourage the freelancer to ask as many questions as possible. To improve contact you can also plan a lunch with the freelancer if possible.

5. And after the onboarding of the freelancer?

At the end of the freelance onboarding period, start taking stock. In some cases, especially if the project is still at the ideation stage, a few days of audit may be necessary to allow the consultant to better understand all the parameters and then participate in the scoping. Then set up at this time the framework for monitoring the mission (reporting, weekly, monthly meetings, etc.). Remember to ask the freelancer for his/her feedback about the onboarding to make sure he or she has all the keys in hand. But also to improve this process with a view to integrating future freelancers.

You can also read 5 Simple Steps to Effective IT Offboarding

The expert opinion of Thomas Delfort, former DSI and co-founder of Mindquest:

“As for a recruitment of a CDI type profile, the onboarding process of an independent consultant within a tech or IT team is extremely important. A well-executed welcome will allow a quick and efficient handling of the subjects. The goal is for the freelancer to be operational as quickly as possible, and to be in optimal conditions to be efficient in his mission.”

Do you know that the offboarding of an IT consultant is just as important as their onboarding? Indeed, companies are generally concerned with taking care of the onboarding of their employees, but sometimes neglect the last step. The stage where the employee leaves the company for new professional opportunities. Find out why it is important to take care of the offboarding of your IT consultant. But also how to properly manage the offboarding of an IT consultant in 7 steps.

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IT Consultants Tips for your daily life as a freelancer

IT Pros: How to Work On Remote in the Post-Pandemic World

IT Pros: How to Work On Remote in the Post-Pandemic World
Remote work is becoming increasingly common amongst IT pros. Here’s how you can benefit from this trend a from the comfort of your home or personal office.

Remote work is becoming increasingly common amongst IT pros. The way in which tech experts look for jobs and carry out missions was already changing before Covid-19 hit. IT freelancing was on the rise; With higher levels of remote work; slowly becoming an industry standard and the figure of the digital nomad gaining acceptance.   

Now that digital transformation efforts have accelerated and companies have had to adapt their hiring strategies to a world in lockdown; remote work across countries and time zones is out in the mainstream. Regardless of country reopenings and a slow return to the office, remote work is here to stay. Here’s how you can benefit from this trend and what you should keep in mind when pursuing a new gig from the comfort of your home or personal office.   

Finding IT remote work – Identify your target employer  

First of all, you need to pinpoint your target company type. The kind of company you will be applying for jobs at and that you will turn to support your remote work lifestyle. Whether that is as a freelancer or as a full-time employee.   

For that, you need to make sure you are aiming for industries and organisations that have friendly policies towards remote hiring and working. Most big tech companies have fully shifted to remote work after the start of the outbreak. So they will be open to receiving applications and collaborating with fully remote employees. Other sectors of activity will be less prone to hire remote employees due to a lack of organisational readiness or the nature of the job to be done; jobs relating to IT infrastructure and cybersecurity tend to involve an on-site component because of its confidential and hands-on nature.   

IT remote work: Make sure your environment and tools are ready  

This one sounds rather obvious. But you would be surprised to learn how many IT projects encounter roadblocks along the way. Due to unforeseen technical limitations on the remote worker’s side of things. And we are not talking here about a stable internet connection. 

Make sure you have analysed the project requirements and spoken with company stakeholders to understand the technical needs of the project. And also see if you should ask for extra equipment or services – think of cloud processing resources, networking equipment, etc.   

The social component  

Working remotely can make collaboration with other team members more difficult and requires you to put in some extra effort. The social component of remote working should not be overlooked, but you can follow a few easy steps to ensure you are properly connected with project stakeholders.  

First and foremost, make sure you are conducting a proper onboarding. As with most things in life, setting a robust foundation is key. If the employer doesn’t have a fully fleshed out onboarding process, be proactive and put together all the questions you will need clarification on. Make sure you get acquainted with the rest of the team. Even if that means proposing quick one-on-one virtual chats to get to know them a bit.   

Secondly, set up follow-ups and regular check-ins with your colleagues to keep track of the progress and let them know you are there and on top of things.   

The Top IT Skills to Master in 2021

Not interested in fully IT remote work?  

Maybe looking for a job remotely sounds good, but you would rather work on-site at least some of the time. Or maybe you are looking for a job remotely as a way of moving to another country. No problem. The IT jobs market has never been better for that.   

Just make sure you are considering everything first, like immigration regulations and demands (visas, health insurance, etc.). Sometimes, working with a recruitment partner who has experience relocating IT experts is the best choice. They will help you figure out all the details so you can get started with your new life as soon and as easily as possible. 

Read our article : How the Covid-19 Pandemic is Accelerating the hybridisation of Careers in Tech & IT

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Need more tips on how to find a job in IT? Check out our IT job hunting guide.

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ERP & SAP Job Descriptions

CRM Consultant: Job Description

CRM Consultant: Job Description
What is the role of the CRM consultant or expert? Discover in their job description their missions, skills, training and salary.

Use our template to create a compelling and comprehensive CRM Consultant job description to attract top talent.

What is the role of the CRM consultant or expert? How to become a CRM consultant? What are the required skilled and the salary expectation? We tell it all in our CRM consultant job description.

Are you looking for IT mission opportunities in the Tech and IT sectors on a freelance or permanent basis? Mindquest can help you find your next IT mission opportunity. Find CRM missions by browsing our freelance and permanent vacancies available on our digital recruitment platform.

CRM consultant: the job description

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) consultant; otherwise known as a CRM expert; is a specialist in customer relationship management software and customer relationship itself. When creating a call center, this professional assists in optimizing the relationship with customers. But also in making decisions relating to the choice of IT tools. Usually, a CRM expert works for an ESN or a BtoB agency. They can work in a large group or in small structures and is mainly required to work in collaboration with customer service, as well as with the marketing and web-marketing service.

The role of the CRM consultant is to define, configure, implement and manage the CRM software while promoting its positive impact on the company’s strategy. CRM Software is the backbone of any call centre. Indeed, the CRM software makes it possible to keep all the history of exchanges with customers and to manage the call lists on a daily basis. In choosing which CRM to implement, they can choose between independent CRM software or an ERP (including other business management modules). They manage the CRM software on a daily basis. That is to say, they take care of monitoring developments and finding new improvement strategies. Furthermore, they also collect data concerning customers and their life cycle, and carry out reports.

Discover more about what is ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

The CRM consultant is also focused on determining the best strategies to increase customer loyalty and engagement. This professional thus sets up loyalty campaigns and works to understand which are the dissatisfied customers (detractors) and satisfied customers (promoters) by calculating the NPS score (Net promoter score).

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Required Skills

CRM Consultant skills

How to become a CRM consultant? The CRM consultant must have a perfect command of software packages dedicated to CRM. He or she must also possess solid knowledge in the areas of sales and marketing. Specializing in customer data analysis, it is important that he or she has knowledge and skills in data mining and brand optimization on search engines and social networks. The CRM consultant must demonstrate good analytical skills and be responsive to any changes they need to be able to detect. This professional must know how to approach a project as a whole.

A true specialist in customer relations, it is important that they know all the technical and strategic aspects. In addition, the CRM consultant must have a taste for contact, good listening skills and a sense of service. It is essential that the CRM consultant has a great spirit of synthesis and good adaptability.

Also discover our Job Description: IT Business Analyst

Salary

CRM Consultant Salary

How much does a CRM consultant make? The salary of a CRM consultant varies depending on the experience of the consultant. But also depending on the scope of their position and the size of the company. Indeed, some CRM consultants only work on the software aspect, while others will be responsible for a large part of the customer relationship.

Within a large group or small business, the salary range for this professional is wide. Generally speaking, a CRM consultant can earn close to €35,000 / year at the start of a career. At the end of his career, he can hope to earn more than €65,000 / year as a senior. The average salary of this professional is around €45,000 per year. The average daily rate for a CRM consultant developer is generally between $400 and $900.

Read more about 12 Best CRM Certifications in 2021 and 18 CRM Experts You Need to Follow

Training and education of the CRM Consultant

CRM Consultant Education

Different training courses allow you to become a CRM consultant, with a Bac + 4 or Bac + 5. Graduates from business or engineering schools are usually highly appreciated by employers. It is thus possible to enter a business school or an engineering school, with a diploma with a specialization in marketing or web marketing. You can take a Master in Marketing or International Marketing or join a communication or marketing school. There are also certifications for using software that are popular with employers, such as Salesforce certifications.

Find CRM assignments on our freelance and permanent IT recruitment platform, or join Mindquest so you don’t miss out on any CRM assignments!

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IT Consultants Tips for your daily life as a freelancer

Time Management Tips in remote for IT Professionals

Time Management Tips in remote for IT Professionals
Discover our time management tips in remote for IT Professionals. Here are a few tips on how to achieve full efficiency while working remotely.

Discover our time management tips in remote for IT Professionals. Having independence in one’s work is a great thing for any driven professional who likes to take the initiative. But it is not all advantages.

Working independently lets you distribute your energy throughout the day as you see fit, giving you more flexibility to dedicate time to yourself and others. Yet all that schedule juggling requires solid time management skills.  

The ability to deal with a fluid timetable has long been one of the key factors of success for tech freelancers. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has catapulted millions of in-house workers into a new workplace paradigm. With 82% of business leaders planning on allowing at least some level of remote work from now on (Gartner), knowing how to take full control of one’s day has become a must for independent and permanent IT professionals alike.    

Here are a few tips on how to achieve full efficiency while working remotely.

Time management tips in remote:

Start by building a comprehensive calendar

It is easy to get overflowed with daily activities and forget about the bigger picture. Especially for newcomers to the remote working life.

Outline all your tasks and upcoming deadlines and incorporate them into a comprehensive calendar. Plan your week and then look at each day, building a schedule that defines clear goals while allowing for some flexibility.

Spending 10 minutes at the start of each day to review your calendar will let you reassess priorities and adjust objectives. Your goals should be “smart”, that is, achievable without excesses. Sort priorities and categorize tasks.

You can use one of the myriads of free calendar apps out there or opt for the more traditional paper version. Whatever works best for you.

Make sure to put some time on your calendar to deal with all the administrative tasks we all love so much (invoicing, timesheets, reporting, etc…). 

Prioritize the most important tasks 

It is advisable to use the morning hours to carry out your most important tasks, namely the ones that will demand the most energy and attention from you. For most people, the morning is the time of day when their brain is most productive. 

Starting with the more tedious tasks will make the rest of your day easier, leaving the less strenuous tasks for when your mind is tired. 

Find an adequate place to work 

You must be comfortable to deliver your best work. Your work environment should nurture your productivity and creativity while promoting general well-being. 

Don’t forget that your body and mind need to rest periodically to remain at full capacity. Choose a work setting that allows you to take breaks throughout the day. An hour of work usually requires 10 minutes of break.

To learn more, read our article: IT Pros: How to Work On Remote in the Post-Pandemic World

The Pomodoro method for time management

To manage your daily schedule in the best possible way, try using the Pomodoro, or ‘Tomato’ method — yes, Italian. 

This technique is designed to help you split your working day by alternating breaks and intense concentration sprints. 

The steps are pretty straightforward: 

  • Focus your attention on a single task at a time 
  • Set a timer to a fixed duration of 25 minutes 
  • Work on that single task for the duration of the timer
  • Once the time has passed, take a break for 5 minutes 
  • Start again from the beginning and, after the 4th repetition, take a longer break (15-30 minutes).   

Plan for the unexpected

Your daily schedule will often be thrown off by unforeseen events that you will have to deal with. As Murphy’s law makes clear, nothing goes as planned. Here, reactivity is key. Allocate some time on your calendar for contingency management so that you are not caught off-guard by unexpected pitfalls. 

Discover our special guide: IT Job Hunting Done Well: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Hiring an IT consultant IT Decision-makers

Interview Tips: 5 key questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview

5 key questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview
Asking the right questions is key to ensure you are making the best staffing decision. Discover 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview

What are the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview? The way companies approach the selection process for IT consultants might well have changed forever due to COVID-19. CIOs and HR experts have moved IT hiring online, and things seem likely to stay that way from now on. Among the benefits: greater schedule flexibility, agility no need for travel and other expenses, agility. But remote interviewing also has its downsides.

It can be tricky to properly assess things like soft skills and cultural fit when you are not face-to-face with a candidate. Asking the right questions is key to ensure you are making the best staffing decision. Whereas hiring the right IT freelancer will bring great benefits to your projects and team, enlisting the wrong person will only multiply your problems.

These are the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview and that you should always cover.

1# Have you ever worked on a similar project, and if so, for what type of client?

You have a project for which you are looking for a freelance professional. Whether you are looking for a web developer or a SAP expert, the technical nature of the mission requires in-depth know-how from the consultant. Thus, it is first necessary to verify that the candidate has the necessary expertise and experience.

You can first ask them if they have ever been confronted with a similar project, in order to find out more about their experience on this type of mission. Moreover, suggest that they detail their previous gigs, giving details on the technical and organizational context of those projects.

Then, ask them who their previous clients were, whether they were large accounts or smaller companies. If the candidate tells you that they already have one or more similar experience (s), in a company in your sector and with a similar context, this is a real advantage, as they should be operational very quickly.

2# Faced with this or that technical problem, what actions would you put in place?

Freelance experience is important, but to test your candidate’s technical skills, do not hesitate to ask them one or more very concrete questions directly related to your project. How would you resolve this incident? What type of functionality or solution would you develop? Which computer language seems to you the most suited to this situation?

First, asking a hypothetical problem allows you to test the candidate’s ability to solve a problem, as well as to evaluate their technical understanding of your project. This will also give you a good overview of their analytical skills, as well as the interest they have in the area and project.

3# Could you tell me about a difficulty you encountered during a previous project, and how you coped with it?

Don’t forget to check for the essential soft skills in IT. Since your freelance consultant will effectively be a member of your team, evaluating traits like their interpersonal skills will be fundamental.

To assess them, you can ask questions that highlight the candidate’s team spirit and communication skills, as well as their ability to manage conflict and crisis situations. Favour open-ended questions to let the candidate express themselves, revealing their personality.

4# What is your availability? And your rates?

Make sure that the candidate’s expectations correspond with the conditions you propose for the assignment. This is obviously valid for the economic compensation, but also for all others terms of the contract. Is the candidate willing to come work on your premises if the mission requires it? Or will they be able to work remotely, and under what conditions? Will they have to plan trips to other sites? Will their professional expenses be covered? As you can see, there are many finer, concrete points on which you must make sure you agree with your candidate.

Then, in terms of availability, you must ensure that the candidate’s situation is compatible with the calendar aspects of your mission. Ask the candidate for their exact date of availability, and if they have any foreseeable impediments (vacation, for example). Thus, meeting deadlines is a crucial element in any professional relationship. In the case of a long-term assignment, you must ensure that the freelancer will be able to engage for the duration of the project.

5# What kind of projects really fascinate you?

The last of the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview is about what is the difference between a good and an excellent candidate? Passion. A tech freelancer or IT consultant who is genuinely interested in the project they are working on will undoubtedly be more involved and more efficient than a candidate with a “mercenary” profile.

Finally, the question of motivation is a key question which is all too often forgotten by recruiters and hiring companies. And yet it often makes all the difference.

Are you looking for an IT consultant or tech freelancer and you don’t know how to go about it? Club Freelance is here to help you find the best candidate and support you throughout the recruitment process.

Click here to submit your request.

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IT Decision-makers Talent strategy

5 Benefits of Including IT Freelancers in Your Team

5 Benefits of Including IT Freelancers in Your Team

IT freelancers can bring invaluable help to your internal IT team. The direct benefits of involving external consultants are obvious: it’s an efficient way for companies to speed up certain initiatives and tackle ad hoc projects. Indeed, they bring in critical skills that your team was lacking while allowing for more contractual flexibility. Given the speedy and everchanging nature of today’s business world, it is no wonder that the hiring of tech freelancers is on the rise.

However, that’s not all. The regular presence of external consultants has a more indirect beneficial impact on the team in place.

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

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Skills transfer

Often, freelancers are recruited to compensate for a lack of skills available internally — either because these cannot be mobilised in time, or because no one on the team has them.

In these cases, the intervention of an external expert can foster skills development of existing employees. By being in contact with an expert consultant, the teams in place can learn and benefit from the knowledge-sharing inherent to running a project. Although they will not themselves become experts on the subject in question, they will undoubtedly gain significant understanding in this area of expertise.

Sharing experience on similar project with IT freelancers

By definition, an IT freelancer moves from one project to another and very often, from one company to another. Then, this diversity and multiplicity of experiences allow freelancers to better understand the challenges of a project, giving your team the opportunity to refer to past experiences.

Also, by capitalising on this experience, technology consultants give companies access to best practices, allowing teams to save precious time by avoiding common mistakes.

For example, an SAP consultant who has already participated in a S/4HANA migration project in another company will have valuable insights on how to implement the project and the technical solutions required. 

IT freelancers : a fresh look and a critical mind

Moreover, an external point of view is something every company can take advantage of and IT consultants can approach a problem from a neutral perspective. Unburdened by internal politics and red tape, they can take a deeper look at the dysfunctions of a system, the opportunities to simplify a process, the good or bad organisational practices of an IT department or a project, etc.

In fact, for freelancers involved in longer projects, it is often beneficial to by making a full inventory of existing processes and tools, with recommendations for improvement.

New ideas and to spur innovation

Bringing new blood to a team is always beneficial, regardless of the department concerned.

In addition, external consultants introduce new factors that can lead to the birth of new ideas and stimulate a real dynamic of innovation within your team. This has made some industry experts refer to freelancers as “pollinators,” who go around accumulating experiences and disseminating them.

The diversity of profiles within a team, and therefore the joint work between internal and external resources, is a key factor in the correct implementation of the collective intelligence model.

Efficient working methods

Also, freelance workers have more flexibility in managing their schedule, as their hours cannot be imposed by the employer. Consequently, there is no presenteeism among freelancers. Results are essential.

Accordingly, an IT consultant must organise their time as best as possible to finish their project on time, demonstrating maximum productivity, efficiency and a sense of prioritisation.

As with all the previous points, it can be useful for members of your team to learn from working methods that are often different from those they are used to applying. A freelancer who works on-site can have a very positive influence and boost the motivation and productivity of the team in place.

In some cases, IT freelancers can even develop existing managerial models by playing the role of evangelists of, for example, greater flexibility at work — Freelancers who work remotely knew the ins and outs of remote work way before COVID-19 hit the corporate world.

Are you looking for IT mission opportunities in the Tech and IT sectors on a freelance or permanent basis? Mindquest can help you find your next IT mission opportunity. Find your next mission by browsing our freelance and permanent vacancies available on our digital recruitment platform.

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IT Decision-makers Tips & errors to avoid

Secure your S/4HANA migration team before costs skyrocket

Secure your S/4HANA migration team before costs skyrocket
If your business is dependent on SAP’s ERP software suite and you are still running on ECC, the clock is ticking. How to secure your S/4HANA migration?

If your business is dependent on SAP’s ERP software suite and you are still running on ECC, then we’re probably not the first ones to tell you this — the clock is ticking. Yes. As of last week, SAP is officially extending free ECC support throughout 2027 and optional maintenance until 2030. But that’s not that much extra time considering the hefty work the upgrade requires. How to secure your S/4HANA migration, the Golden Opportunity for IT Professionals?

In any case — What perhaps you haven’t considered yet is that, with every month that passes, the migration’s financial impact on your bottom line increases exponentially.

That is, of course, if like most companies, yours is not considering building S/4HANA capabilities in-house. According to a recent report by Resulting IT, only 18% of managers admit to having put a focus on developing internal SAP expertise.

Bringing external personnel into your team to infuse a good dose of talent is one of the best-proven skill development strategies out there. However, you might want to take into account external factors that are sure to turn the process into a very time-sensitive matter.

It’s a very simple equation:

Volume of work + Skills Shortage + High Percentage of Experts Retiring Soon = £ £ £ £ £ £ £

Let’s break it down, to secure of your S/4HANA migration.

Secure your S/4HANA migration #1 – Volume of work and internal reluctance

In recent years, we’ve all gotten used to software updates taking just a few minutes or hours at most. Not surprisingly, a lot of companies think of the migration to S/4HANA as a simple software update that will be ready over a weekend. Nothing further away from the truth.

Read our article about The Value of SAP and SAP S/4HANA.

Moving to S/4HANA requires a complete redesign of your ERP environment and, in many cases, of your business dataflows and reporting pipelines. That is a sizable project, especially considering that the same Resulting IT report puts the ECC product set at around 400 million lines of code. Add that to the extensive customizations most companies have implemented throughout the years, and you end up with quite a thick book to translate into S/4HANA.

However, it is not in the technical details that the biggest challenges reside. As SAP co-CEO Christian Klein stressed in the company’s most recent earnings call, the biggest obstacles to S/4 implementation are changing legacy business processes and gaining the acceptance of managers and employees.  

Undertaking the migration is a lengthy and resource-heavy process, but SAP has put in place all the tools your team will need. Now, convincing your organization to revisit its internal procedures and get used to a host of new tools — That’s different. And it is precisely why the move to S/4HANA demands a clear business case to start with. Which, in turn, requires time and advance planning.

#2 – Widening skills gap and an ageing workforce

Skill obsolescence is an unpleasant side effect of progress. Nothing new here, especially if we are talking about IT. Still, when it comes to S/4HANA, the difficulties in finding talent that is well-versed in the new environment multiply.

The aforementioned report also reveals a generalised lack of experience in the live or nearing go-live stages of the transition. Although 48% of SAP specialists declare having been involved in S/4 projects, a significant portion of these are solutions architects and therefore only have experience in the early blueprinting stages of the project. Securing the services of consultants with operational know-how will be no easy feat.

Couple that with the fact that 40% of UK SAP experts plan to retire within the next 10 years, and we are looking at the perfect storm.

S/4-savvy consultants surveyed in the report expect to charge between £650 and £749 per day. And that’s not only true for external talent. Permanent employees with proven S/4 skills will also benefit from the situation, with an estimated yearly salary of at least £100,000 and increased career prospects.

In a nutshell – Migrating to S/4HANA is a race against increasing employee costs as much as it is a race against the clock. If your organization plans on sticking to SAP solutions, it is a good idea for both your wallet and peace of mind to start procedures as soon as possible

DISCOVER OUR ULTIMATE S/4HANA CAREERS GUIDE