Digital services companies (ESN) and engineering and technology consulting firms (ICT) are in a period of transition marked by caution.
According to the Grand Angle ESN & ICT 2025 study conducted by KPMG and Numeum, 42% of players do not foresee a genuine rebound in activity until the first half of 2026.
AI at the Heart of Strategy
Artificial intelligence is establishing itself as the sector’s technology priority: 81% of surveyed companies identify it as the main market opportunity. Its adoption remains gradual, with 64% of ESN and ICT generating between 0 and 5% of their revenue from AI projects.
The use of generative AI is expanding across several domains: 72% employ it for delivery, 67% for administrative tasks, 51% for recruitment, and 48% for the search for business proposals. Investments in AI currently account for 2.2% of revenue for large enterprises and mid-market companies, and 1.3% for small and very small enterprises.
Diversified Growth Strategies
In the face of the economic slowdown, 29% of companies prioritize positioning on innovative technology offerings (cloud, AI, cybersecurity), while 16% bet on resource alignment and 14% on an aggressive commercial policy.
The main risks identified are the macroeconomic environment (85%), weak customer demand (67%), and a lack of resources or skills (33%). To address these, 60% are pursuing strategic partnerships and 55% are investing in their employer brand.
Offshore and nearshore outsourcing remains stable, representing 7% of revenue. Technical expertise is the main reason for outsourcing (28%), ahead of cost (24%) and capacity needs (19%).
Talent Management: Between Tension and Adaptation
The shortage of qualified professionals remains a major growth constraint. Companies continue recruiting, with a focus on roles related to cloud, cybersecurity, and digital transformation consulting.
Generative AI is starting to transform HR functions: 52% of organisations use it to develop training plans and 41% to map internal skills. Despite these developments, 71% believe that AI’s impact on reducing recruitment needs remains marginal.
Recruitment plans for 2025 aim for an 8% increase in headcount for large enterprises and mid-sized firms, and 4% for SMEs and micro-enterprises. However, 77% of companies report that the economic environment has affected their initial objectives.
Experienced professionals (with more than three years of experience) represent 88% of the roles sought, up 11 points from 2024. The most in-demand skills are digital transformation consulting (19%), cloud (17%), and system integration (13%).
The use of freelancers, independent contractors, and subcontractors continues to rise, reaching 17.9% in large companies and 12.9% in SMEs, with targets at 17.5% and 12.1% respectively for 2025.
In terms of retention, salary increases remain the primary lever (40%), ahead of flexible working hours (11%) and training plans (10%). Additionally, 35% of companies have implemented measures to curb teleworking and encourage on-site work.
CSR, a Key Competitiveness Criterion
Reducing the environmental footprint has become the CSR priority for 79% of ESN and ICT firms. 87% have established a system to monitor their carbon footprint, and 60% have set a three-year reduction target, averaging -26% for large companies and -17% for SMEs.
The ESG criteria now weigh between 10% and 20% in 48% of tenders, and 20% to 30% in 24% of cases. This evolution reflects the growing importance of these concerns in the competitiveness of companies.
83% of companies have implemented diversity and inclusion programs, primarily through awareness-raising (97%), charters (86%), and training (75%).
The digital sector, represented by Numeum, which groups 2,500 companies, generates a turnover of 70 billion euros and employs 670,000 people in France.
