Over a third UAE IT decision-makers actively looking for a new job, finds study

ManageEngine, the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation, has announced the results from its IT at work: 2022 and beyond study.

The newly released data, involving IT decision-makers (ITDMs) and business decision-makers (BDMs), examines the democratisation of IT and the ability of IT teams to influence business decisions in large and enterprise-sized organisations in the UAE.

According to the study, over a third (41 per cent) of ITDMs in the UAE said they are actively looking for a new job, while pretty much the same number said they feel less loyal to their current employers than they were two years ago.

About half of ITDMs said they would leave their organisation if their pay did not at least keep up with inflation, if there were no advancement opportunities, no flexible work arrangements, or any other existing benefits were eliminated.

Furthermore, the report noted increased collaboration between IT and other teams within organisations, which may have contributed to non-IT employees’ greater knowledge of IT now.

Non-IT employees are now more knowledgeable about IT than they were before 2020, according to more than four-fifths (84 per cent) of respondents.

In the next five years, 76 per cent of ITDMs expect IT to play a more significant role in setting the organisation’s overall strategy. This is 11 per cent higher than the global average.

The success of the IT team in playing its role has a significant bearing on the organisation’s success, with over 91 per cent of all respondents pointing to a direct correlation between both.

Furthermore, IT professionals are increasingly expected to be innovators, with more than nine in 10 respondents agreeing that IT is more responsible for business innovation than ever before.

“Professionals are keen to gain new perspectives from industry peers in order to stay updated and advance in their careers. Through this study, we hope to facilitate the sharing of knowledge among stakeholders in the UAE. These insights also help ManageEngine in its constant endeavour of evolving as a comprehensive and effective IT management platform,” said Rajesh Ganesan, president at ManageEngine.

The other key findings from the study include that around 44 per cent of organisations have already decentralised their IT structure, with another 49 per cent currently attempting to do so.

The report also stated that nearly all (98 per cent) BDMs say their department has autonomy when making technology decisions. This autonomy relates not only to purchasing software and devices but also to hiring tech talent.

Furthermore, the study also stated that around 91 per cent of all respondents say artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies will significantly strengthen their organisation’s IT security framework.

Nearly all (95 per cent) BDMs say that their organisation has invested in AI and ML technologies and are doing so for more than one use case, on average. A notable proportion of BDMs report using AI to prevent cyberattacks.

Around 73 per cent of decision-makers (both ITDMs and BDMs) say it is the responsibility of IT and security teams to protect organisations.

When it comes to what ITDMs want from their role in the next five years, these were cited as most important:

• The potential to learn new skills.
• The ability to step into a more senior role.
• The ability to guide change within the organisation.

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