Cost-cutting directors are holding back the radical changes IT leaders are trying to make in the workplace, according to CIOs surveyed by collaboration firm Fuze.
The research reveals that 93% of IT leaders believe digital transformation should be a critical part of their roles and 47% want board-level executives to measure the IT function on its ability to innovate for the business.
In reality, however, 44% of IT leaders said they are measured on cost cutting, with the average IT department expected to reduce expenditure by 12% over the next five years.
IT teams are currently spending 83% of their time managing IT platforms and resolving user issues, and only 11% of their time planning future innovations, according to the study.
The majority of IT leaders see numerous opportunities to unleash their teams from the constraints of day-to-day operations. Eight in ten of the IT leaders surveyed have named a cloud champion and 67% said they are actively looking to reduce application sprawl and time spent managing redundant technologies.
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Looking ahead to 2020 and beyond, IT leaders see the imminent arrival of the app generation – teenagers who have never known a world without smartphones and instant internet – as a positive driver for change as they enter the workplace. Three-quarters of those surveyed said younger generations will drive workplace innovation.
“IT leaders are dealing with a complex working environment, balancing the demands of multiple generations in the workplace while navigating the challenges of operational responsibilities, budget pressures, and customer expectations,” said Derek Yoo, co-founder and CTO at Fuze, which surveyed 900 IT leaders, including 292 CIOs.
“Yet today’s IT leaders also understand this presents a fantastic opportunity to take the lead in shaping the future of work. IT leaders are actively championing innovative approaches to meet the expectations of today’s employees and want the business to hold them accountable to delivering transformational shifts that evolve the role of the IT department.”
