IT departments are set to play a central role strengthening organisational security and facilitating the transition to new technologies, AI and fresh business models. The integration of workflows and processes using new software tools will enable IT to break down internal barriers and foster a culture of greater collaboration across all departments.
A survey of UK IT professionals for service management software provider TOPdesk found 94 per cent of respondents optimistic that their department is “future-ready” – with a firm focus on cyber security, AI and collaboration as the foundations for success.
More than half (53%) cited strong cyber security and data protection as characteristic of a future-proof IT department, while the use of AI in everything from repetitive tasks to advanced insights was selected by 49 per cent.
Yet as hybrid working becomes the norm and complex internal silos persist in many large organisations, IT professionals also understand that increased collaboration will require new solutions. More than a third, for example (38 per cent) said the future-proofing of their department requires the integration of IT management with enterprise systems used by HR or finance.
The focus on cyber security
Communication, collaboration and a sense of shared ownership between IT, security and other departments is vital if organisations are to become more resilient in the face of increased cyber threats. Security cannot live in a technical bubble.
Cross-departmental collaboration is also what will enable organisations to become more agile in a world where supply chain shocks, conflicts and political events can cause instant turmoil.
In the survey, 84 per cent of IT professionals said disruptions would be resolved faster if there was better collaboration between departments. Cyber security is no longer a purely technical challenge – it affects the entire organisation.
Collaboration depends on communication and the survey found that 57 per cent of IT professionals view increased communication as the most effective way to improve cyber security in their organisation. Their next priority is the integration of cyber security into other business processes – selected by exactly half of all respondents.
Alignment and integration
As IT and cyber security work more closely together, alignment will be a key word, both at the strategic level through agreed and shared KPIs but also at the operational level. That will indeed come through the integration of IT service management and cyber security or through the adoption of a single platform to align departments and their workflows.
Organisations should go further to ensure they have well-defined, rapid incident response processes – primarily thought more advanced IT service management software. This should be capable of accelerating threat-identification and response – able to co-ordinate resources to reduce the window of opportunity for criminals inside or attempting to breach an organisation’s defences.
IT’s role in improving cross-departmental collaboration
IT’s role in ensuring different departments collaborate is not purely about countering cyber threats, but also to help break down the internal barriers so their organisation increases productivity and fulfils its digital ambitions. IT should be totally aligned with business goals, so, for example, any fixes focus on what matters most. In the case of an online retailer, this would focus on prioritising incidents that may reduce revenue, even for a short time.
In the research more than 70 per cent of IT professionals already find it easy to collaborate with customer service, operations, HR, facilities, finance, marketing and procurement. These are very encouraging signs. Very few (less than 10 per cent) found collaboration difficult with different departments.
Improved C-suite engagement is an IT requirement
The one area for improvement is in collaboration with the most senior leaders in the boardroom. This is understandable as C-level executives are rarely from technology backgrounds and are focused on results and the running of a business.
Some 56 per cent of UK IT professionals surveyed believe their C-level executives still fail to grasp the complexity of IT. This is unwelcome from a cyber security perspective because a regulation such as NIS2, for example, places greater responsibility for compliance and reporting on the shoulders of board members. From a business perspective, the boardroom needs to understand how future-proofing requires greater collaboration, trust and alignment.
This is the one area of concern in an otherwise optimistic picture. If boards invest in a greater culture of collaboration and provide their IT departments with the tools and resources, they need to foster it, then their organisations will be confident they are “future-proof”. Boardrooms will have organisations that are better protected and are more collaborative and agile – free to focus on revenue-generation, growth and longer-term strategic ambitions.
