CIOs across Australia and New Zealand have the attention of their chief executives in a way they haven鈥檛 before and are being asked for higher value, more strategic help by their bosses from the IT group.
This is according to Gartner鈥檚听2021听CIO听补驳别苍诲a, which found that听the 娇色导航and听CEO听relationship had been strengthened for 60听per cent of respondents across A/NZ, compared to 66 per cent globally.
More than two-thirds of A/NZ respondents (68 per cent)听reported an increase in business leaders asking IT for 鈥榟igher value, more strategic things.鈥� This is compared to 71 per cent globally,听the report said.
Report authors Andy Roswell-Jones, Brian Ferreira and Christopher Bell said that one of the听foundations of this relationship success was听the speed and effectiveness听with which 鈥榳orking from home鈥� arrangements were implemented.
鈥淥ne large federal agency achieved what would have seemed impossible even six听months prior, the shift of close to听20,000 employees听to remote working in a three-week period.听In the client鈥檚 estimation, this would听likely have听been rolled out听over three years听normally,鈥� the authors said.
According to the report,听A/NZ CIOs had to contend with a slightly higher proportion of听staff needing to be set up to work-from-home (WFH)听arrangements (67听per cent) than their global peers (64 per cent). This year,听67 per cent of A/NZ CIOs also expect听WFH听numbers to increase.
鈥楽oft factors鈥� improve company-wide performance
CIOs听have taken advantage of听conditions created by the pandemic to change the听鈥�soft factors鈥�听that contribute to听improved performance such as working practices, and a shared sense of common purpose and culture, Gartner said.
Like their global counterparts, A/NZ tech chiefs听shifted staff to听work-from-home practices听in weeks, managing laptops and听VPNs听for these remote workers and gaining the credibility they need to accelerate听digitisation听across their businesses.
Organisations听have听capitalised听on the uncertainty of the pandemic to build听enterprise鈥�wide听confidence in technology to execute meaningful value at scale.
鈥淔or example,听a private health insurance 娇色导航client successfully completed the rollout of virtual working of over听15,000 staff and used the strengthened relationship with the executive to support and facilitate the reset of the group strategy for听post鈥�pandemic听planning,鈥� they said.
鈥淚n the education sector, we saw multiple examples of CIOs providing critical support to听staff and students in the transition to homeschooling, which dramatically accelerated existing plans to deliver online learning experiences,鈥� the analysts said.
This bolstered听their relationships with senior leaders and increased the focus on how digital technologies can enhance pedagogical outcomes, they said.
鈥淎 large federal government department successfully delivered projects听during COVID-19 and has now shifted to an extended virtual team, citing higher project productivity and an access to a broader talent pool,鈥�听the authors said.
Digital business maturity increased
Meanwhile, a second foundation of A/NZ CIOs鈥� relationship with their peers听was the pace听of digital business adoption. The maturity of A/NZ digital business has increased steadily over the past three years with 17 per cent听stating in 2017 that their听digitisation听programs were maturing, which rose to 47 per cent in 2020, Gartner found.
In 2017, 74 per cent said they were initiating听digitisation听activities (53 per cent in 2020).听Only 1 per cent of A/NZ enterprises had no digital initiatives at all in 2020 compared to 14 per cent globally.
Key recommendations for 2021
Although creating WFH strategies had a听favourable听outcome for many CIOs, the job isn鈥檛 finished听and a review of successes and weaknesses needs to be carried out soon, the analysts said.
鈥淓nsuring that appropriate endpoint security and monitoring is in place across the entire fleet. Refresh digital workplace technical strategy to cater for a hybrid engagement model that ensures collaboration, engagement听and productivity can be supported effectively and efficiently,鈥� they said.听
Further, they advised that CIOs听rightsize听technology investments in digital workplace software and platforms once a return-to-work model is in place.
鈥淏usiness and technology leaders have听broken down legacy mindsets, adopted digital ways of working, and new demands are being placed on businesses and the workforce. The extent of acceleration will likely depend on how successfully CIOs are able to听take their lessons and experiments into the future as they recover and thrive in the new normal.鈥�
