By Alithea De Jesus
Globally, even in the pre-pandemic period the idea of digital transformation and the call for innovation has been one of the many priorities that business leaders need to take into consideration as there are many implications when embarking on any changes especially when this would entail substantial investment and will “future proof” the business.
Mindful of both the necessity and reluctance of the strategic move, ManageEngine, the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation, today revealed the results of its comprehensive study focused on the Philippines market, IT at work: 2022 and beyond.
Speaking to THEPHILBIZNEWS, ManageEngine APAC Regional Director Arun Kumar said that based on their commissioned research, 84% of respondents believe that the IT department is more responsible for business innovation than ever before. Additionally, 77% of decision-makers felt that IT could drive greater innovation if it had a stronger leadership position.
Accelerated digital transformation and strategic responsibility coupled with increased emphasis on business resilience, innovation and agility have reinvented the role of IT teams. IT teams are implementing advanced tech while facilitating business growth. 65% of IT decision-makers (ITDMs) said that their organization uses AI and ML to defend systems from cyberattacks. At the same time, 78% said that their organization uses advanced data analytics to detect anomalous behaviour, and 67% said that it is deployed to gain correlation and contextualisation.
While IT teams are responsible for facilitating digital innovation and ensuring networks are cybersecure, the survey indicated IT departments felt they lacked the required support from their organizations to effectively take on this responsibility. The research revealed that 59% of ITDMs in the Philippines felt that their organization should have supported them more in the last two years. In addition, 47% of ITDMs felt that their opinion was not taken into regard while organizations were embracing hybrid work models.
As the tech landscape is witnessing tremendous transformation, 60% of business decision-makers (BDMs) in the Philippines indicated that a lack of training is a barrier employees face in trying to take full advantage of technology. This is the highest when compared to both the global average of 47% and the data from ASEAN peers like Singapore (48%), Malaysia (45%) and Indonesia (47%). However, 78% of BDMs in the Philippines said that their department receives training in technology processes and tools from an internal training team.
“IT departments play a crucial role in developing value-added strategies and providing deep insights into organisations’ digitisation potential,” said Arun Kumar, regional director for APAC at ManageEngine. “IT teams need to work together with non-IT departments by equipping non-IT staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to embark on a digital innovation journey. With this collaboration and shared knowledge, IT and non-IT employees can form a strong and resilient barrier that will keep critical resources secure from cyberattacks while leading tech advancement.”
The study was conducted by Vanson Bourne and involved 150 ITDMs in various organisations across the Philippines. Respondents were surveyed on topics like the role of IT, artificial intelligence, sustainability and cybersecurity. The report’s findings identified key challenges in the IT infrastructure that require the attention of ITDMs along with developments that will define the future of IT. The report aims to reimagine a future-proof workforce that will position organisations as a competitive force in the age of digital transformation.
Other Key Findings
- Ninety-three percent of ITDMs said that there was increased collaboration between their organisations’ IT teams and other departments in the past two years.
- Furthermore, 97% of ITDMs said that their IT department works well together with C-suite professionals.
- Fifty-eight percent of ITDMs said that their organisation has already completed decentralisation of IT functions, while 42% said that decentralisation is still ongoing.
- The survey also reported that 72% of respondents believed decentralisation of IT would lead to professional growth through upskilling. At the same time, decentralisation also brings new challenges, as 45% of respondents said that they need to maintain IT security levels and prioritise user experiences.
To view the full survey, visit https://mnge.it/ph-itsurvey