A quick fix to the skills shortage: automate IT support

Eine schnelle Antwort auf den Fachkräftemangel IT-Support automatisieren

The demand for skilled labour is also growing rapidly in IT - but companies can take immediate countermeasures. Many IT teams waste valuable time on routine tasks.


The shortage of IT specialists in Germany is set to worsen dramatically. According to a recent study by the digital association Bitkom, there could be a shortage of around 663,000 IT specialists by 2040 if massive countermeasures are not taken. The shortage is already evident today: 149,000 IT positions will remain unfilled in 2023 - almost twice as many as five years ago. In addition to companies, administrations, schools and scientific institutions are particularly affected.

While more than 50 per cent of current employees in the economy as a whole will retire by 2040, this will only affect 32.5 per cent in IT professions. However, this harbours long-term risks: The IT sector will be hit all the harder by demographic trends after 2040. To counteract this looming gap, Bitkom is proposing various measures, including greater promotion of lateral entry, better integration of older IT specialists and targeted recruitment from abroad. However, these measures are designed for the long term and will not have an immediate effect.

But how can companies respond to the shortage of skilled labour in the short term?

One efficient solution is to automate simple and recurring IT support tasks. This is because many IT specialists spend valuable time on routine tasks that can also be automated. Intelligent technologies can relieve the burden on IT teams and deploy employees more effectively.
  • «While long-term measures such as training and immigration are crucial for the future of the IT sector, there are already ways of tackling the skills shortage today.abzufedern.»

Self-service: Empowering users to help themselves

Self-service offers great potential for reducing the workload of IT support. Many queries are not very complex and can be answered in a standardised way. By providing their employees with simple, self-explanatory solutions, companies can solve numerous support cases without human intervention. Knowledge databases, interactive instructions and automated processes enable users to find solutions on their own.

Chatbots: Automated help around the clock

Chatbots are another effective way to solve common IT problems. An intelligent IT chatbot can answer simple questions around the clock, suggest solutions and even provide further support resources. This means that employees can get help quickly at any time without having to wait for a human IT employee. This significantly reduces the workload on the helpdesk and shortens response times.

Smart IT machines: immediate help for hardware problems

Not only software problems can be processed automatically - hardware support can also be organised more efficiently. IT vending machines allow employees to independently retrieve required hardware such as laptops, cables or peripherals around the clock. Authentication at the vending machine ensures control, while at the same time relieving IT specialists of the task of issuing and managing such materials.

While long-term measures such as training and immigration are crucial for the future of the IT industry, there are already ways to mitigate the skills shortage today. The automation of simple IT support tasks offers companies a quick and effective solution to relieve their IT teams and utilise their resources more efficiently. Self-service, chatbots and IT vending machines can be used to automate recurring tasks - a measure that has an immediate effect and significantly reduces the pressure on IT support.

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