Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/53573
ILTA's 2011 Staffing Survey OVERALL TRENDS Just as law firms continue to be affected by economic turmoil and the resulting changes in the way we do business, we have continued to ask our respondents to opine on their outlook for the future of their firms and the staffing of their IT departments. The results of this year's survey indicate efficiency is the watchword of the decade. STAFFING RATIOS While we know its validity as a benchmark may be controversial, we also know the ratio of IT professionals to end users is of eternal interest to our readers. Here are this year's results compared with last year's: 2010 Average Ratio Users to IT Staff (small firms) Average IT Staff (small firms) Average Total Users (small firms) Average Ratio Users to IT Staff (medium firms) Average IT Staff (medium firms) Average Total Users (medium firms) Average Ratio Users to IT Staff (large firms) Average IT Staff (large firms) Average Total Users (large firms) Average Ratio Users to IT Staff (very large firms) Average IT Staff (very large firms) Average Total Users (very large firms) 37.2 2.5 75.5 2011 37.5 2.5 77.4 2011 39.0 6.2 209.6 38.0 6.1 201.8 Yes 33.2 11.0 331.9 37.2 No 13.3 344.1 63% 67% 2011 2010 We don't know for sure if this year's 63% and last year's 26.1 43.0 1044.0 30.4 64.6 1408.9 67% of disproportionate changes mean that IT staff has decreased while attorney headcount has increased, but the ratios shown above would indicate that's the direction things are going. We have additional data to support that conclusion. Our respondents describe 2011 and 2010 staffing conditions as follows — in both years, 86% of you were just getting by or doing more with less: www.iltanet.org 2011 Staffing Survey 7 Both this year and last, we asked whether the total FTE staffing for your IT department and attorney headcount changed roughly proportionately. 37% 33% Stayed the same Increased Decreased 67% 21% 12% As far as average ratios go, there hasn't been much change in small and medium-sized firms. However, as we see large and very large firms get larger and even larger, it appears their IT departments could be feeling the squeeze of doing more with less. IT staff numbers are increasing, but the ratio averages indicate they are not increasing in proportion to the increase in firm sizes. HOLDING OUR GROUND, OR RUNNING IN PLACE? We asked whether, compared with 2010, the number of IT personnel in your firm had increased, decreased or stayed the same. The responses indicate this glass is at least half full: