Plugging the Microsoft Dynamics Expertise Gap
End Users find A Challenging Marketplace for D365 Hires
Finding and hiring the right Microsoft Dynamics experts for inhouse teams has been particularly challenging for end users these last few years, leading to issues with meeting vital project KPI’s and deadlines due to a lack of the right key internal talent.
The combination of Brexit, which led to a loss of localised IT resource, then the impact of Covid, against the simultaneous growth of Microsoft’s D365 and Business Central, has had a huge impact on the market, leading to a chronic shortage for those with the skills to lead, implement, manage, and support the technology inhouse.
This gap between supply and demand has been particularly challenging for Client organisations migrating or re-implementing their solution from Microsoft AX to D365 as ongoing support from the latter was withdrawn. Many have found themselves caught severely short on the internal skills to manage and implement the new solution.
A further challenge is that major Projects require an ongoing blend of skills and expertise, which would require several hires; something that is not always possible nor advisable for end users, where some types of expertise is only required in fits and starts.
D365 Finance and Operations Experts the Most In-Demand
Demand for workers with skills in Microsoft Dynamics products is currently way higher than supply, particularly for older mission critical instances and the rapidly growing Dynamics 365 product family (according to IT staffing and recruitment firm Nigel Frank International, a leading IT staffing and recruitment firm that recently released its 12th annual Microsoft Dynamics Salary Survey on employment and trends among Dynamics professionals).
The most recent survey results show that for most organisations (43%), Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations is the most in-demand for hiring among partner clients, followed by Dynamics CRM, D365 Business Central, and D365 Sales. Power BI, Power Apps and Azure are closely tied as additional skills.
The research also reports that every candidate with the right skills is now receiving multiple offers, some without interview, and 53% of all candidates’ report receiving a counter- offer when they resign.
What to do?
Obviously two solutions are presented
Attract and Retain Talent with the Right Salary and Benefit Expectations
For those end users looking to attract the right internal talent, the research very clearly points to having the right offer – and it’s not all about salary.
Amongst those surveyed who were changing jobs, or considering doing so, (particularly those moving from a MSP to an end user) over half respondents cited the ability to work remotely and enjoy a better life work balance as key reasons that would encourage them to move or take a specific offer. Other motivating reasons included the amount of paid leave days, health insurance, and annual bonuses.
Importantly, the number 1 reason mentioned as the primary motivation to consider a new role was a lack of current career and promotional opportunities in their existing organisation. Most current Microsoft experts want to see better career progression and associated training and career development, rather than just an increase in salary.
Pulling together the right package to attract talent is all well and good but
- there’s still an overall shortage of the right experts
- they are still receiving counter offers upon resignation
- there’s a limit to how much you can increase the attractiveness of your job versus what you offer the rest of your employees without problems
- many such experts are on a 3, or even a 6-month resignation period
- the period between someone internally resigning to a new person starting is typically between 6 months to a year – or even longer for a senior person!
This can place the quality and timing of delivering key Microsoft projects in jeopardy.
Use MSP and Expert Suppliers to Bridge the Gap
Hiring a relevant independent consultant to bridge the gap while you find, and onboard new resource is an excellent solution – if you can find one that is available. Again, there is a shortage and many of those with the expertise in the demand areas, such as Dynamics Finance and Operations, have contracts in place for the next few years.
Another solution is to engage a Microsoft Partner that has the depth and breadth of expertise who is willing to help you ‘bridge the gap’ in your critical projects: not all are.
Such partners must have a flexible approach at their core, and a range and depth of appropriate talent to be able to slot the right people into your Project as required. Given the number of good MSP’s, looking here for help is likely to be the most fruitful in the short term.
Moreover, experience with different types of end users is important: from end users with a full inhouse Team, those with key ‘gaps’ in their Team, and those with a minimal support Team. The right MSP will be able to lead and plug all the gaps to help you obtain a satisfactory project solution.
Dynamo Global is a Gold Microsoft Partner that has substantial experience and expertise in AX and D365 ERP / Finance and Operations, as well as the other core modules. We put customers at the heart of all that what do, employing a flexible way of working to suit our clients’ requirements, rather than a prescriptive ‘packaged’ way of operating. Understanding that sometimes short-term fixes are required is part of our ‘customer first’ approach.
We have huge experience in dealing with all types of end user, understanding the difficulties and frustrations of those whose Teams have lost key expert members.
If you have a key project and have a shortage of the right resources to enable you to meet your delivery targets, contact us and we’ll see if we can help you bridge that important resource gap.