If digital transformation was not on your agenda before the Covid-19 pandemic, it almost certainly is now. One thing we have learnt is that agility is key and becoming a digital business is now essential to success.

However, with so much talk around digital transformation, it can be extremely confusing knowing where to begin, the best approach to take and even understanding what the end goal is. Every journey is different and will represent a unique set of challenges. So how can you ensure your digital transformation journey is a success to reap the regards of digital change?

Our guide outlines the five steps to becoming a digital business including how to:

• Understand what it means to be a digital business.
• Identify transformation goals
• Monetise your digital product or service
• Understand and mitigate barriers or concerns
• Implement best practise

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Remote working is no longer a short-term solution to working under Covid-19 regulations. Your IT team is now tasked with ensuring the long-term success of the dispersed workforce as your business embraces permanent remote or hybrid working.

But maintaining the simplicity, standardisation and security experienced in the centralised office environment can be challenging in a remote environment. You need a modern solution that can provide the high-performance needed for the modern workforce and one that can remove the complexity from managing and scaling IT for remote workers.

This guide will explain how a best-in-class cloud-based VDI solution, like Pulsant Cloud Desktop, can remove the risk and complexity associated with IT management and maintenance of a dispersed workforce, helping your team to succeed in this new working environment, whilst enabling a high-performance workforce. In particular, it will cover the following factors:

• Simplify: How to simplify management and maintenance of dispersed workgroups
• Standardise: How to deliver a consistent experience across multiple devices and locations
• Secure: How to maintain security, compliance and business continuity outside of the office environment
• Succeed: How to guarantee a high-performance dispersed workforce where staff can work remotely without limits

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An aim of organisations across industries during the remote working era has been to ensure that their employees can provide the same level of output and consistent quality of work that was previously possible in the office. Research by Mercer found that 94% of 800 employers reported the same or higher level of productivity than before the pandemic, even with employees working remotely. While this evidence shows that employees can successfully make the shift, the responsibility sits with the employer to ensure that the tools are available to enable this productivity.

Employee expectations

Younger people entering the workforce today are increasingly unlikely to remember a time where others were not instantly reachable, creating certain expectations that employers should provide the right communications technology, whether in or out of the office. Employees are now expecting a consistent desktop performance and true accessibility, regardless of the device used and where they are based.

But for in-house IT teams, it isn’t always so simple to provide this experience. Ensuring that desktops are fully up to date can be a time-consuming and costly challenge, in addition to the user support and ongoing maintenance of servers and storage that needs to be provided. This management of hardware and software compatibility can prove overwhelming, leading to difficulties with prioritising IT fixes and leading to inconsistent employee experiences.

 Traditional VDI solutions

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is a technology that has been available for some time and allows a managed desktop solution to be provided to employees. Legacy VDI solutions are however fraught with issues, such as being incompatible with applications and delivering a slow and inconsistent user experience via a lookalike operating system.

While VDI has come along way in recent years, such as modern cloud-based solutions, it still requires the specialist knowledge and resources of an in-house IT team to ensure it is fully consistent and readily available for each employee. With this in mind, how can businesses best utilise a VDI solution to provide that all-important employee experience on a consistent basis? Pulsant Cloud Desktop is the modern VDI that can address these challenges.

 Enabling consistency

In leveraging trusted Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops technology, Pulsant Cloud Desktop performs all processing in the data centre, ensuring a consistent level of performance for every user, even in the case of a low-spec or outdated device. Users also benefit from use of native Windows 10 and single sign-on capabilities, ensuring that they can access their work tools quickly and efficiently.

Looking at the case of commercial law firm Teacher Stern, the organisation required a new IT infrastructure to replace its ageing solution, and worked closely with Pulsant to integrate a remote desktop solution that was delivered via Pulsant Enterprise Cloud. The enhanced connectivity that resulted from the arrangement allowed fee earners quick uninterrupted access to systems and applications from any device.

Looking to find out more on how to ensure a consistent experience for your dispersed workforce? Download our guide: “Optimising IT for Remote Workers with Cloud-Based VDI”

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While the rapid rollout of the vaccination programme has provided hope of a return to a pre-2020 world, the move to remote working due to the Covid-19 pandemic will be a mainstay for many organisations. In fact, 98% of people want to work from home for at least part of their working week for the remainder of their careers, according to a survey by the World Economic Forum. But to continue with a long-term strategy of a dispersed workforce in place and to reap the benefits it brings, businesses need to fully optimise the management and maintenance of their desktop platforms to support their employees.

In-house challenges

Deployment, configuration and management of desktop solutions can be a complex process, with considerations such as patch management, user support, updates and minimising latency between applications based in the data centre. Not only that, but the resultant ongoing maintenance of networking, storage and servers can prove to be an overwhelming responsibility for in-house IT teams. 45% of IT professionals who leave the industry do so because of stress, undoubtedly exacerbated by the pressures associated with the pandemic.

So what are the options on the table to help ease the burden on IT professionals while continuing to support the dispersed workforce? There are plenty of cloud desktop solutions on the market that can ease some of the burden, such as hosting a desktop solution with Azure, but this still involves comprehensive in-house management of the technology and specialist knowledge to ensure that it is fully optimised, which is where a managed Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution comes in.

The benefits of a managed solution

Opting for a managed solution with a service provider means that IT teams don’t have to worry about rack space, hardware breakdown or maintenance. Pulsant’s Cloud Desktop, in conjunction with Citrix technology, allows centralised management of the VDI platform, from configuration of the operating system to flexibility to easily scale up down depending on the number of users.

For organisations utilising a BYOD policy for remote employees, the solution is compatible with all major mobile OS systems and ensures a consistent user interface across each device, while users benefit from faster and more reliable access to applications with guaranteed availability SLAs and enhanced performance.

Security has moved to the forefront of IT teams’ concerns with workplace devices now being managed remotely. At the outset of the pandemic, 52% of organisations determined that they were only somewhat prepared in terms of security resource when making the shift to remote working. Pulsant Cloud Desktop ensures unnecessary security risks are mitigated and compliance across the workforce is maintained with a secure-by-design VDI, while the service is ISO 27001 accredited and UK-based.

Management and maintenance of the dispersed workforce can be a minefield, but Pulsant Cloud Desktop removes the risk and complexity that could otherwise result from an in-house strategy. Discover more in our comprehensive guide: “Optimising IT for Remote Workers with Cloud-Based VDI”

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Enabling a high performance dispersed workforce

While Covid-19 has forced businesses to adapt to remote work, it is no longer seen as just a short term fix to helping businesses navigate the pandemic. Many organisations are now choosing to keep their remote working policies in place permanently or are moving to hybrid working models where employees can work flexibly between home and the office.

How businesses manage their IT will need to change to accommodate these new working models. One of the biggest factors IT teams need to consider is enabling high performance across the business. Performance across the dispersed workforce can be a significant challenge, with users in different roles requiring different levels of compute power and access to applications that are unique to their requirements.

A Cloud Desktop, also known as a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) or Desktop as a Service (DaaS) can help the IT team solve the performance challenges a business might face with remote or hybrid working. It does this by delivering virtual desktops and applications from the cloud on any company device in any location.

Improving performance with dedicated virtual machines

A typical Cloud Desktop helps to ensure high performance from the dispersed workforce by allowing users to access virtual desktops, applications and files. However, it is important to choose a solution that provides dedicated virtual machines for each user rather than users having to share. When users share virtual machines, the performance of one user’s desktop might be negatively impacted by other users demanding more computing power. Dedicated virtual machines ensure each user has enough computing power to perform their role uninhibited by technology issues.

Scaling up for more intensive user demands

Importantly, having dedicated virtual machines means there are no hardware upgrades required when a user needs to use a new application or their requirements call for a higher performance machine.  Virtual machines can be scaled up easily as and when they’re required, eliminating any delays in users being able to use the applications they need when they lack computing power. This also reduces the chances of the applications running inefficiently.

Reducing latency between desktops and applications

When it comes to running applications virtually, users can experience latency between the servers that are running their desktops and the servers running their applications. A Cloud Desktop solution that hosts the desktop infrastructure and applications in the same data centre can reduce this latency as traffic between the virtual desktop and applications take place inside the data centre and not through the connection between the data centre and the user’s device. This improves application responsiveness and leads to better overall performance.

Consistent performance with Pulsant Cloud Desktop

For many organisations, remote work is the future. Virtual desktops are the future of remote work and Pulsant Cloud Desktop removes the risk and complexity associated with managing a dispersed workforce by simplifying deployment, management and maintenance of multiple devices and remote workers through cloud-based VDI.

Find out more about how Pulsant Cloud Desktop can help your IT team simplify, standardise and secure IT in the dispersed workplace by reading our guide, “Optimising IT for Remote Workers with Cloud-Based VDI”.

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Maidenhead, UK – 22nd February 2021 – Pulsant, a leading IT infrastructure services provider with a core focus on colocation, cloud and networking, has announced two new appointments to its Executive Leadership team.

Guy Daniels has assumed the position of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) after joining the company as Interim CMO in September 2020, while April Clark has been promoted to Chief People Officer (CPO) from her role as HR Director.

As CMO, Daniels is responsible for leading Pulsant’s brand and marketing strategy, ensuring the company is positioned strongly to capitalise on the growing demand for digital transformation and edge computing through its national network of data centres and cloud platforms. Daniels’ appointment adds to significant investments Pulsant has made into its sales and marketing capabilities during the last 12 months.

Daniels has more than 30 years’ experience in technology marketing, including positions at IBM and Sony. Before joining Pulsant, Daniels held a number of senior roles in prominent technology companies, including Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Cognizant Technology Services Europe and Vice President Brand and Marketing Communications for Fujitsu International.

“As a permanent member of the Pulsant team, I look forward to building a unique and compelling brand which reflects the clarity of our strategy to the market and helping achieve our growth potential over the coming years. It’s an exciting time for the business, with the company well-positioned to help organisations navigate digital disruption. Most of all, I am genuinely proud to be part of such a high-quality leadership team,” comments Daniels.

As CPO, Clark will lead the strategic and operational delivery of Pulsant’s people, culture and values, ensuring access to, and retention of, the best talent to support Pulsant’s growth and future success. Clark joined Pulsant in 2006 following a role in the HR team at John Menzies Group. Over the past 15 years, she has been instrumental in establishing a strong company culture and has led the successful integration of teams following multiple acquisitions.

“I’m excited to take this next step in my career at Pulsant. The events of the last 12 months have really emphasised the importance of our people to our ongoing success. We’ve continued to thrive despite the pandemic because of our focus on supporting and developing our team. As we look to the future, it will be this emphasis on people, culture and values that will enable us to continue to attract and retain the best people to help us reach our growth potential,” comments Clark.

Rob Coupland, Pulsant CEO, adds: “Both Guy and April bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Pulsant and their appointments will significantly strengthen our Executive Leadership team and ensure we are positioned for future success. Guy has already made a huge impact on the business and his permanent appointment supports the wider investments we are making in our go-to-market capability to address the opportunity posed by digital transformation and the emerging edge computing opportunity.

“Since joining Pulsant, I have been impressed by the industry-leading best practice April has embedded in Pulsant’s HR agenda over many years and her appointment to CPO reflects the strategically important role our people play in our success as a company.”

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For the best part of a year, most UK businesses have been operating remote working policies under the operational restrictions of the pandemic. Although many organisations will have had fairly robust business continuity plans in place, few will have been prepared for the true scale and impact of Covid-19. Indeed, our recent research found that only two-thirds of IT decision-makers (68%) felt their organisation was prepared to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.

So now nearly a year into the pandemic, what have we learnt? And is now the time to start thinking about wider implications on your IT infrastructure?

Understanding the risks

The pandemic has left many IT decision makers questioning whether their current IT architecture is right for their organisation’s future needs. As well as the challenge of securing and supporting a dispersed workforce, it has also highlighted a number of IT issues that may not have been considered previously.

For example, if you’re currently operating an on-premise model, local and national lockdowns have probably meant you have at some point found yourself unable to maintain and access your IT infrastructure. Not only can this leave you unable to carry out required physical updates and maintenance, but it puts your IT and business at risk from unplanned downtime. And with restrictions only increasing around the country, you need to contemplate whether this infrastructure model is fit for purpose.

Similarly, you may have experienced challenges with your infrastructure network as a result of the mass remote working. You may have found yourself needing to add more bandwidth and connectivity which can take up to 30 days in an on-premise environment, impacting staff productivity.

Add this to the extra costs associated with purchasing and maintaining on-premise equipment and the risks can soon mount up. It only takes one piece of equipment to fail to result in a huge, unexpected capital expenditure to your business. So, what do you need to consider and where should you start?

Key considerations

Before making any infrastructure changes, you need to understand what you really need from your IT infrastructure. Consider how you want to consume services in future – do you want to make the journey to Software as a Service (SaaS) and let a provider worry about how your applications and data are managed and delivered? Do you want a middle ground where you let a cloud provider take the strain (and investment in technology) allowing you to focus on your applications? Or do you need to maintain full oversight of applications, data and facilities with the overhead that brings?

Having the right infrastructure in place will be critical for future success so longer-term questions need to be asked including:

• Are your applications and data in the right place to achieve both performance and compliance requirements?
• How accessible is your data? Should you reconsider how you manage your data and where it lies, bringing it closer to you?
• How important is the ability to flex and scale as required? And are you held back by your current data centre environment?
• Are your infrastructure costs rising? Or do you need to switch from a CAPEX to OPEX model?
• Do you need to accelerate digital transformation plans in a safer and more reliable manner?
• Do you plan to move towards a remote working model permanently, and if so, do you still need the real estate space?

Turn risk into opportunity with colocation

Our research found that nearly a quarter of business leaders (24%) believe that delivering business transformation projects is where IT can deliver the greatest value over the next 12 – 18 months. Yet, having the right infrastructure in place will be critical for success.

One thing pandemic has highlighted is that flexibility, adaptability and resiliency is key. You need to be able to access your infrastructure 24/7, be able to make changes quickly if required, and scale capacity up and down as needed. In this environment, on-premise models can be restrictive.

Colocation is an ideal way to ensure infrastructure remains protected, while also supporting a long-term digital migration. With the right colocation partner, you can turn risk into an opportunity, ensuring your IT infrastructure can quickly develop, scale and remain secure, resilient and operational, no matter what challenges arise. Colocation is also an ideal way to future proof operations and migrate to the cloud, providing flexibility and operational outsourcing, as well as dynamic connectivity to a cloud fabric to accelerate your cloud journey.

Another benefit is that you can consume the resources you need, when you need it, using an OPEX model. This avoids the need for up front capital costs, depreciating assets, and investment should equipment fail. Plus, with colocation, the cost of system maintenance is spread across multiple customers, so you can benefit from high service levels whilst unlocking precious capital.

Future proofing your IT Infrastructure

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of having the right IT infrastructure in place and as the new Covid-19 variant continues to sweep the UK, you can’t afford any risks.

If you haven’t already it’s time to consider a shift from on-premise legacy IT to more agile models such as colocation that enable a full shift to the cloud if required. With a trusted colocation partner, you can significantly reduce the time, resources and costs of supporting and managing your own infrastructure, so you can focus on what matters most – the services and solution you offer to customers.

The global data centre colocation market size is expected to reach US$ 104.77bn by 2027 and as the largest regional data centre provider in the UK we will remain at forefront of UK growth. Our sites are strategically located throughout the country, giving you the peace of mind that your data and infrastructure is never far away, easily accessible and always remains in the UK.

More than that, we can provide you with a one-stop-shop for your infrastructure needs. Our 10 regional data centres mean that you can spread your estate across multiple sites and can easily and cost-effectively scale up your footprint as your business grows. Our sites are also cloud-ready (carrier neutral and support all cloud models, including our own Pulsant Enterprise Cloud), allowing you to make the transition from colocation to private and public cloud at your own pace.

To find out more, get in touch with one of our experts.

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One of the many challenges 2020 has brought is the mass migration to remote working for businesses across the UK.  And with guidance on home working not set to change imminently and the benefits of remote working continuing to rise to the fore, many organisations now envision operating with some degree of remote working permanently.

However, with the shift to a more flexible and remote working, comes increased risks and reduced control. Employees are no longer accessing their desktops and networks from within the confines of the office environment where you can be confident data and confidentiality remains protected. So, the question then arises – what infrastructure do you need to provide your remote workers the freedom they need, whilst also retaining control?

Is VDI the answer?

There are many different solutions available to enhance and improve remote working, including VPNs and remote management tools to name a few. However, more and more firms are turning towards virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) as the answer. VDI is not new – it’s been around for well over a decade. But with the promise of benefits such as improved security, productivity and efficiency, it’s a solution that should not be discarded.

Essentially, VDI is a form of desktop virtualisation that allows users to log in to their own desktop from any device and any location. The desktop operating system is hosted on a central server in a data centre and the virtual desktop image delivered over a network to the endpoint device. This offers benefits such as improved efficiency and productivity, reduced costs and greater security and control.

The rise of VDI is largely being driven by organisations’ requirements to consider standardisation, control and management of services to a dispersed workforce. Virtual desktops can present a consistent, controlled desktop application environment, with data not residing on the local machine, but within the data centre.

Choosing the right virtual desktop for you

Many organisations have some form of desktop virtualisation already. However, the problem is traditionally most VDI solutions have been designed to support a small fraction of the workforce. Yet, with many companies’ whole employee base now working from home, organisations need a long-term solution that can provide a consistent and user-friendly experience for a wider user base.

The key to success when implementing VDI is to look for a system that is easy to deploy and use. The main goal of VDI is to simplify management, not add further complexity, so user experience is key.

If you get this right, VDI offers a number of advantages including increased user mobility and ease of access, scalable computing power, consistent user experience and centralised security and control.

The centralised management system enables you to effectively monitor and manage the entire infrastructure from a single dashboard. Even when installing new components or configuring a multisite environment, there’s no need to log in to other remote servers. Less people are required to manage your IT estate and you updates, patches, and other maintenance problems can be simplifies, making IT jobs easier.

In fact, Teacher Stern recently described moving across to a virtual desktop infrastructure with Pulsant Cloud Desktop as a “monumental leap forward” in terms of its IT system stability.

“Moving from a remote desktop setup to a virtual desktop infrastructure was a monumental leap forward in terms of our system stability. With the support of Pulsant, we have been able to enhance performance, improve user experience and increase productivity, all while reducing our operational spend. The team have been great to work with, have excellent technical knowledge, and delivered a great service every step of the way.”

Andy Cecil, IT Programme Manager, Teacher Stern

Don’t be afraid to ask for a helping hand

Remote working isn’t going away and to remain competitive you need to provide your employees with the right IT to enable them flexibility in where and how they work. But making widespread infrastructure changes isn’t always easy – as well as the IT itself, you need to ensure you get buy in from stakeholders and employees are onboard and open to the new systems.

For busy IT teams that are already faced with a number of additional challenges posed by the new environment, switching to new infrastructure can feel like an added complication at a time when further change is best kept to a minimum. But with the support of a trusted partner, you can align your business objectives with VDI deployment models, implement the right technology for your unique needs and remove the burden from ongoing management.  As a result, you can maintain the benefits and feel of a office environment whilst capitalising on the benefits of a dispersed workforce.

To learn more about how you can balance freedom and control in a remote environment and capitalise on the benefits of a remote workforce, download our guide “Freedom and control: reunite your workforce” here.

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IT is now an innovator as well as a caretaker in mid-market organisations, but increased pressure is driving teams towards burnout

Maidenhead, UK – 12 November 2020 – Increasing pressure on IT teams is pushing many IT decision-makers to the brink of burnout, according to new research from Pulsant, a leading UK provider of regional data centre and cloud infrastructure services.

Nearly two-thirds of UK IT decision-makers (65%) have felt under increasing pressure to keep the organisation running effectively over the past 12 months, with 80% of these admitting this has harmed their health and wellbeing.

The research, which was conducted on 201 UK IT decision-makers in mid-market organisations, finds increased pressure on IT has manifested in various ways: 40% of IT decision-makers impacted say they are experiencing anxiety as a result of increased pressure; over a third (35%) are suffering from increased stress which is unsustainable and will result in burn out if not addressed, and nearly a quarter (24%) have experienced burn out which has resulted with absence from the business. Plus worryingly for businesses, 20% have either resigned or started looking for a new job.

The rise in pressure could be due to an increase in expectations with 77% of IT decision-makers saying expectations of IT have risen within their organisation in the past 12 months. The biggest reasons for this increase were noted as a greater focus on security and compliance (45%), the expectation for IT to work with more areas of the business (39%), the expectation for IT to support and have knowledge of a broader range of technologies (38%), increased pressure to update ageing infrastructure (36%) and being expected to deliver projects quicker (35%).

This, in turn, means that IT teams are left stretched across a wide range of responsibilities, with over a third (34%) of IT decision-makers saying too much workload/not enough time is one of the top challenges within their teams.

“An accelerating pace of change means that IT teams are under more pressure than ever to support more critical business initiatives and deliver results faster, while at the same time ensuring business systems remain available, secure and compliant,” says Pulsant CTO, Simon Michie. “This can place IT teams under immense strain which is detrimental to both the success of the business, and more importantly employee wellbeing, with staff left stressed, anxious and having to take time out from the business. “

The research also revealed a divide in opinions on the purpose of IT, with IT seen as both a caretaker of information and technology and also the driver of innovation across the business. Over half of IT decision-makers (58%) and business leaders (55%) believe the primary role of IT is either a help desk or technical support function or to be responsible for maintaining and running business-critical systems, while 40% of IT decision-makers and 45% of business leaders see the main role of the IT department as an enabler of innovation.

IT has also become influential in board-level business decision making with the majority (87%) of IT decision-makers saying IT is involved in setting the business strategy for the year ahead. An overwhelming majority (93%) say their organisation has a representative from the IT team on the board/leadership team, highlighting that IT is now widely regarded as a critical function.

However, while there is clear recognition for the role of IT in driving the business strategy and innovation, IT teams face challenges in delivering on expectations. Nearly two-thirds of IT decision-makers (65%) say their team is under pressure to be more innovative but there is not enough investment for this to be possible. IT decision-makers are also put off from driving new ideas forward by challenges including conflicting priorities (38%), lack of resource (36%) and time (35%).

“It’s hugely positive that both business leaders and IT decision-makers recognise the role of IT in driving innovation, but it’s clear that more attention needs to be paid to providing the IT team with the right support and resources it needs to perform both functions effectively and maintain the wellbeing of IT professionals,” concludes Michie.”

The research was conducted by Censuswide on 201 IT decision-makers and 200 business leaders in UK mid-sized companies (200-2,500 employees). The full report – The IT Paradox: Balancing support and innovation – and further insight into the findings can be found here.

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Traditionally IT has been regarded as a function that keeps businesses running. Anyone working in IT might tell you otherwise, but until recently this has been the purpose that IT teams have been associated with. However, with digital transformation rapidly climbing to the top of the agenda for many organisations, spurred on even more by Covid-19, IT teams are also being expected to help drive the business forward through technological innovation.

The struggle to balance support and innovation has created a confused sense of purpose for IT teams. This paradox poses a risk to IT’s ability to both support the business and deliver meaningful digital transformation projects. In recognition of this, we recently commissioned a study of 201 IT decision-makers and 200 business leaders in UK mid-sized companies (200-2,500 employees) to understand whether it’s time for the IT function to renew its core purpose and who, other than the CIO, can bring the technology function back together with the business support and innovation imperatives.

Here are our key takeaways from the research report: The IT Paradox: Balancing support and innovation.

1. From ‘Information and Technology’ to ‘Innovation and Transformation’

IT decision-makers and business leaders are in close agreement that their organisations see IT as an enabler facilitating innovation and driving the achievement of business goals, signalling that the purpose of IT is now largely to facilitate innovation and transformation.

Nearly half of IT decision-makers believe IT should be responsible for innovation and over half of business leaders see innovation as the main value of IT. However, that’s not to say its historic function is forgotten, with a large percentage of IT decision-makers and business leaders still seeing IT’s primary role as either a help desk and technical support function or to be responsible for maintaining and running business-critical systems.

Clearly IT has a new sense of direction as the driver of innovation across the business, but it hasn’t shaken its traditional function of keeping the business running and IT teams are having to strike a balance between these two roles.

2. Boardroom influence and authority over budgets

According to our research, the majority of mid-sized companies now have an IT representative on the board and have been given more authority when it comes to approving spend. Boardroom influence and autonomy over departmental budgets for IT leaders are both clear signs that IT is now regarded as key to the direction of the business rather than just a function that keeps technologies and systems ticking over day-to-day. As transformation projects become increasingly important, IT leaders are being called upon to help steer the business strategy from a technology perspective.

3. Rising expectations as new business challenges emerge

However, as the importance of IT grows and the remit of the role involves, so too is the pressure on IT teams. The vast majority of IT decision-makers say their organisation’s expectations of IT have increased in the last 12 months, with areas such as improving security and compliance, working with more areas of the business and supporting and having knowledge of a broader range of technologies key areas of pressure.As a result, nearly two thirds of IT decision-makers admitted to feeling under increasing pressure to keep their organisation running effectively in the last 12 months (outside of COVID-19) and for the majority this has had a negative personal impact.

It’s clear that IT has a new purpose. Business leaders and IT decision-makers see IT as the driver of innovation but also acknowledge that it must balance this with being the ‘caretaker’ of technology and systems. IT teams should feel empowered by this new recognition, but business leaders need to consider the impact on their IT departments as they attempt to balance both their new and existing purposes.

Want to learn more about the research results and how IT departments across the UK are faring? Download the full report here.

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