IT at work:
2022 and beyond
Australia and New Zealand

In the digital-first world, technology isn't just a supporting function but a vital player in an organisation's success. This survey of thousands of executives and technology professionals examines the status, future, and risks of IT and technology use, specifically in large and enterprise-sized organisations in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).

Meet our cohort:

We surveyed 3,300 professionals working worldwide in IT and in other business functions. In ANZ, 250 decision-makers across IT and other key business functions were surveyed from a range of private sector organisations. We've divided them into two broad categories: IT decision-makers (ITDMs) and business decision-makers (BDMs).

138

ITDMs

112

BDMs

The role of IT

Working hand-in-hand with the C-suite

96%

of decision-makers in ANZ believe that their organisation's IT department works fairly or extremely well with the C-suite.

Driving sustainability

83%

of decision-makers in ANZ believe that their organisation's IT department plays an important role in implementing sustainability policies.

IT is more likely to be held responsible for security

In ANZ, most decision-makers hold their IT and security teams responsible for protecting their organisation against cyberattacks. Chief IT Officers came second on this list.

Whose responsibility should it be to protect your organisation from cyberattacks?

Only 5% of respondents believe that everyone in the organisation is responsible for protecting it from cyberattacks.

All this is being done with a decentralised approach

69%

of ITDMs in ANZ report that their organisations have successfully decentralised their IT structure.

Tech awareness is increasing, but not as much as in other regions

67%

of respondents in ANZ, the lowest compared to the rest of the world, agree that non-IT employees are more knowledgeable about IT than they were two years ago.

Could a stronger leadership position help IT teams?

34%

of ANZ decision-makers strongly agree that IT could drive greater innovation if it had a stronger leadership position. This is the lowest compared to the rest of the world.

49%

of them somewhat agree with this sentiment.

Technology trends in the ANZ

AI is being adopted

97%

of the respondents in ANZ believe that departments across their organisation are utilising AI and ML technologies.

And has found use in automation and security

Automating specific tasks and preventing cyberattacks were the top two uses of AI and ML in ANZ as per the BDMs surveyed.

Areas where BDMs' organisations have invested in AI and ML:

Based on the responses of BDMs in ANZ.

In fact, AI could be a big help in security

82%

of all decision-makers in ANZ believe that AI and ML will play a significant role in strengthening their IT security framework in the near future.

But it's not being used as extensively as expected

As per BDMs in ANZ, IT and data science (or analytics) departments are most likely to be using AI and ML technologies. But less than a third of them said these departments were using this technology.

Which departments, if any, within your organisation currently utilise AI/ML technology?

(showing the top 3 most-picked answers)

Based on the responses of BDMs in ANZ

About IT leadership

Loyalty is dropping

55%

of ITDMs in ANZ said they feel less loyal to their employer than they did two years ago.

IT leaders are concerned about their jobs

70%

of ITDMs in ANZ said they're more concerned about losing their jobs now than they were six months ago.

So they're ready to take a chance

44%

of ANZ ITDMs agree that they're actively looking for a job. This is a tad lower than the global average of 48%. However...

74%

of them are more willing to make a risky career move than they were two years ago.

Take away their benefits at your own risk

There are certain benefits and opportunities currently available, like flexible working models and technical training, that ITDMs value. Taking these away could drive them to quit.

Which of these would drive you to resign from your current
organisation if it was no longer offered?

Based on the responses of ITDMs in ANZ

Wrapping it up

The proliferation of technology across business functions in this region has helped non-IT employees become more familiar with technology, but not to the extent of their global counterparts. Also, while AI and ML technologies are being adopted by most organisations, their usage across departments seems a bit limited.

Meanwhile, the importance of the IT department has been rising. In ANZ, not only does the IT department work closely with the C-suite, they're also most likely to be held responsible for protecting the organisation from cyberattacks. However, despite this importance, many IT leaders are feeling less loyal towards their organisations and the removal of certain key benefits like flexible work could drive them to resign.

IT at work: 2022 and beyond Australia and New Zealand