ManageEngine, the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation, announced the results of its comprehensive study focused on the Philippines market, IT at work: 2022 and beyond. The research unveiled that 84 percent of respondents believe that the IT department is more responsible for business innovation than ever before. Additionally, 77 percent of decision-makers felt that IT could drive more incredible 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. Sixty-five percent of IT decision-makers (ITDMs) said their organization uses AI and ML to defend systems from cyberattacks. At the same time, 78 percent said their organization uses advanced data analytics to detect abnormal behavior, and 67 percent said it is deployed to gain correlation and contextualization.

While IT teams are responsible for facilitating digital innovation and ensuring networks are cyber secure, the survey indicated IT departments needed more support from their organizations to take on this responsibility effectively. The research revealed that 59 percent of ITDMs in the Philippines felt that their organization should have supported them more in the last two years. In addition, 47 percent of ITDMs felt that their opinion needed to be taken into regard while organizations embraced 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 percent and the data from ASEAN peers like Singapore (48 percent), Malaysia (45 percent), and Indonesia (47 percent). However, 78 percent 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 organizations' digitization potential," said Arun Kumar, regional director for APAC at ManageEngine. "IT teams need to work 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 organizations across the Philippines. Respondents were surveyed on topics like the role of IT, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and cybersecurity. The report's findings identified critical 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 organizations as a competitive force in the age of digital transformation.

Other Key Findings
● Ninety-three percent of ITDMs said there was an increased collaboration between their IT teams and other departments in the past two years.

● Furthermore, 97 percent of ITDMs said that their IT department works well with C-suite professionals.

● Fifty-eight percent of ITDMs said that their organization has already completed the decentralization of IT functions, while 42 percent said devolution is still ongoing.

● The survey also reported that 72 percent of respondents believed decentralization of IT would lead to professional growth through upskilling. At the same time, decentralization also brings new challenges, as 45 percent of respondents said they need to maintain IT security levels and prioritize user experiences.