IT management staffing is making a notable comeback, driven by the demands of AI integration, rising cybersecurity threats, and the evolving needs of the modern workforce. At the heart of this trend lies a story of adaptation and opportunity as businesses strive to balance innovation with the growing demands of modern technology.
Following a major decline in 2022, the proportion of IT managers seems to be on the rise again. As shown in Figure 1 from our full report, IT Management and Administration Staffing Ratios, the ratio of IT management positions to total IT staff was 9.4% at the median in 2024 compared with 8.9% in 2023.
As IT organizations change the number of staff and the type of personnel needed to run their organization, the number and type of managers will also change. The growing reliance on technology has made IT managers indispensable as they navigate evolving trends such as cloud computing, data analytics, and cybersecurity. The rise of AI and machine learning further underscores their importance, requiring oversight of complex integrations, data security, and alignment with business goals. For instance, in industries such as healthcare, IT managers ensure the seamless implementation of AI systems while addressing regulatory and data privacy concerns.
At the same time, automation is reshaping the workforce by reducing traditional infrastructure roles, thereby increasing the demand for IT managers to oversee advanced technologies. However, this shift brings challenges such as potential silos, unclear accountability, and skill gaps. Organizations must prioritize collaboration, continuous training, and skill development to fully leverage the growing prominence of IT management in today’s digital era.
“As AI and automation reduce the need for doers, they amplify the need for ‘managing the doing,’” said Waynelle John, research analyst for Avasant Research, based in Los Angeles. “Striking the right balance is crucial, as overworked managers and ill-equipped workers can jeopardize productivity and success.”
This report examines the number of IT managers and executives a well-run IT group typically requires, along with staffing metrics for other related functions: IT managers and executives, IT finance, vendor management, and procurement personnel, and administrative support personnel. We define these categories as follows:
-
- IT managers and executives: IT managers are individuals whose primary job function is to manage people. We group all IT management levels, including IT executives, into a single job function. First-level managers, who are primarily “doers” (that is, managers in name only), are not counted as managers but rather fall under the function that they supervise.
- IT finance, vendor management, and procurement: These are individuals whose primary job function within the IT organization is related to finance, accounting, budgeting, procurement, vendor contracts, or vendor management.
- Administrative support: Clerical/administrative personnel are individuals who support IT managers and other IT staff functions.
To benchmark IT management, we use two metrics: IT managers as a percentage of the IT staff and users per IT manager. We provide metrics for small, midsize, and large organizations. To provide further perspective, we consider the five-year trend in IT managers as an average percentage of the IT staff. We also report metrics for IT finance and administrative support staff.
This Research Byte is based on our IT Management and Administration Staffing Ratios report. The full report is available at no charge for Computer Economics clients, or it may be purchased by non-clients directly from our website. (Click for pricing.)