The annual report from the leading enterprise automation platform highlights changing sentiments amongst business technology professionals

Systematic+, a professional development community for Business Technology professionals powered by Workato, launched its annual State of Business Technology Report. The data report was conducted as a continuation of the 2020 and 2021 State of Business Technology reports, which were dedicated to exploring themes central to the BT industry. This year’s results focus on how business technology teams are fundamentally changing and becoming more strategic partners and expert innovators as well as how these teams are maximizing efficiencies with looming economic uncertainties on the rise. There continues to be a shift happening within organizations that highlights the changing ways in which business technology teams provide more and more strategic value, and this moment of uncertainty will undoubtedly result in creative solutions to the challenging circumstances.

So what exactly does the Business Technology role entail? 62% of respondents are in charge of developing a long-term BT strategy that aligns with larger company initiatives, a sign of BT’s growing focus on partnering with other lines of business to drive value. Other important job responsibilities include planning and executing the backlog of IT projects across the organization and building, leading, and mentoring a team. In comparison from last year, these responsibilities focus more on strategy, collaboration, and mentorship.

With an emphasis on efficiencies in 2022, ​​58% of leaders stated that they were leaning on automation to help save money and time across the business. In addition to leveraging automation, 51% of respondents are onboarding new technology to alleviate the pain of time-consuming problems.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve watched the growth and evolution of Business Technology teams go from tactical executioners to strategic partners and innovators. It's clear these teams are on the forefront of digital transformation, constantly adapting to the changing business and workforce landscape,” said Carter Busse, CIO at Workato. “In 2022 it was no surprise that maximizing efficiencies across organizations was top of mind for BT leaders. Whether it was pressure to reduce overall SaaS spend, being measured against higher expectations with fewer resources to investing more in cybersecurity, Business Technology leaders are becoming integral voices within enterprises and we will continue to see this trend rise as we enter the next year.”

This year’s report highlighted the following key findings:

• Businesses have more budget than last year, but less room for experimentation and innovation. 82% of teams are currently expected to get more done—and nearly half of those teams are being measured against higher expectations with fewer resources than they had previously.

• The majority of Business Technology leaders think automation is the answer to maximizing efficiency in an uncertain economy. With 58% of leaders focused on using automation to drive efficiency, this year saw an uptick in the number of companies that have automated more complex processes like quote-to-cash (19% to 24%) and procure-to-pay (25% to 30%).

• 57% of Business Technology leaders are being pressured by leadership to reduce SaaS spend. BT leaders don’t agree on a singular approach to meet this pressure. When it comes to consolidating application usage, which 40% of respondents report doing, a major problem lies in the lack of awareness about all of the applications a business is running.

• AI is a priority for companies right now. 92% of respondents said AI is a priority for them, and 75% have already implemented AI/ML (Machine Learning) solutions. The majority of companies (37%) have implemented a mix of solutions that are built in-house and that are leveraged via a third-party platform.

• The top skills leaders are looking for in Business Technology candidates are Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) knowledge (36%), software development skills (34%), and cybersecurity expertise (30%). For companies in the 250–500 employee range, “soft skills” are the number one thing BT leaders look for in a candidate, followed by ITIL and cybersecurity knowledge.

• In 2021, Business Technology teams were concentrating on their cybersecurity programs, and this year is no different with 45% of leaders selecting this as an area where they are investing more than ever before. Other top focus areas also include investments in cloud applications (38%) and data analytics (36%).

For this year’s report, Systematic+, a professional development community for BT professionals powered by Workato, commissioned Atomik Research, an independent market research firm, to conduct an online survey of full-time IT and BT professionals located at companies throughout the United States with more than 100 employees. The resulting 519 respondents varied in seniority, from Analysts to C-Suite Executives.

Founded in 2018 as a community for those working in Business Technology, Systematic+ has grown to over 5,000 members across the world, all working towards the same thing: Enabling the business through technology. Between monthly virtual and in-person meetups, a private online forum, and a yearly conference featuring members from the community, Systematic+ is an incubator for innovation in the Business Technology space.

Click here to download the 2022 State of Business Technology report. To learn more about Systematic+ powered by Workato, visit https://systematic.workato.com/.

About Workato

The leader in enterprise automation, Workato helps organizations work faster and smarter without compromising security and governance. Built for Business and IT users, Workato is trusted by over 17,000 of the world's top brands, including Broadcom, Intuit, and Box. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., Workato is backed by Altimeter Capital, Battery Ventures, Insight Venture Partners, Tiger Global, and Redpoint Ventures. For more information, visit workato.com or connect with us on social media:

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