bandwidth, loss of productivity and
tech outages.
• The increase in stress from security alone
rose by 14% since the pandemic began,
and half said that their security fears
were connected to the sharp increase in
remote work.
• Another half said that the move to
remote work represented a major cultural
shift for their organizations.
Navigating the new normal – and
looking beyond it
These numbers reveal the extent to
which we’re all realizing what the new
normal looks like and the importance of
Digital Transformation in navigating it
with less stress. Many of us are already
adjusting our future plans accordingly, to
be better prepared for the next unexpected
event. For most, that will mean making
additional investments.
The survey highlighted the critical role
of modernized network technologies in
supporting CIOs and their organizations
through the current crisis. It’s a theme that
we’ve been sharing at Cisco for years. And
recent events have only confirmed the key
pillars of Digital Transformation – rebuilding
your infrastructure, reimagining your apps,
securing your data and empowering your
teams – as never before.
Collaboration tools, of course, have been
essential through this crisis. Our survey
“
MANY OF US
ARE ALREADY
ADJUSTING OUR
FUTURE PLANS
ACCORDINGLY,
TO BE BETTER
PREPARED
FOR THE NEXT
UNEXPECTED
EVENT.
respondents highlighted the importance of
regular team meetings using video (86%);
unified communication tools that enable
faster innovation and iteration (79%) and
one-on-one meetings using video (78%).
An interesting call out, using video was
shown as enabling CIOs to support their
own teams’ mental health through the
crisis. At Cisco, we’ve done a lot of virtual
coffee chats, happy hours, group fitness
sessions and more. And though it doesn’t
replace in-person communications, I have
actually found that I talk to my direct reports
more often as we work from home. There
have definitely been some silver linings as we
get creative on staying connected.
The next leap for IT
I’m incredibly proud of how my team
responded to the crisis. But I’m also proud
of the IT industry – CIOs and their teams
have all but kept the world running through
the lockdown, while enabling Business
Continuity, health care and other vital
functions to continue.
Out of our survey respondents, 88% felt
that the role CIO/CTO is expanding to have
greater impact in their organizations and
across their industries.
I agree fully. We live in unprecedented
times, but I’ve learned that we’re stronger
than we think we are. I work with an
amazing team in an industry that’s
changing the world. And I believe that
there’s never been a better time to be in IT
or a better time to transform.
At the same time, CIOs are looking beyond
their own organizations. More than ever,
they are considering the impact they can
have in their communities and in the world.
There will be more challenges to come, no
doubt. But I believe that the technologies
will only get better and that continual
transformation actually is the new normal.
As IT professionals we are no stranger to
change and much of this is a mindset shift
as we reimagine IT.
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