Public sector productivity depends on IT performance

These and other findings in the study highlight the necessity for public sector organisations to have effective IT infrastructure in order to be successfully productive, innovative and drive their growth. These are key considerations given the critical challenges public sector organisations are facing to maintain infrastructure, policing, health, and political balance in today’s environment.

Poor visibility and outdated systems proving to be a hindrance 

Decision makers within the public sector recognise that improved visibility into network and application performance will have a direct, positive impact on their organisations’ development. In fact, over three-quarters of ITDMs (77%) think that having more visibility into their organisation’s systems will help to mitigate risk and ensure productivity. Both of which are essential factors in improving efficiency, driving employee engagement, and developing projects within public sector organisations. However, a clear conflict exists in the public sector between the visibility experienced by the IT teams and business decision makers. More than half of ITDMs (54%) state that they do not have enough visibility into the performance of their networks, applications, or infrastructure, compared to 76% of BDMs who believe IT has a comprehensive overview of applications. This disconnect may be why 75% of public sector leaders surveyed felt frustrated by their current network performance (74% of BDMs and 76% of ITDMs). Ensuring ITDMs and BDMs see eye-to-eye is paramount to helping them recognise the need for new technology that will improve visibility and performance, overcoming this frustration. 

Productivity and organisational growth need the right IT infrastructure

As the recent global pandemic has shown, the public sector needs technology that evolves with the increasing demands placed on national services. In fact, over 90% of IT decision makers in the public sector believe future success hinges on their organisations’ ability to innovate and break boundaries. It is therefore encouraging to see that over 85% of both ITDMs (89%) and BDMs (86%) in the public sector believe there should be more investment in technology solutions that enhance overall IT visibility. With more than three quarters (78%) of public sector leaders agreeing that investment in next-generation technology is vital, organisations need to act quickly or they risk not only diminishing productivity levels from employees but also failing to keep up with customer needs and expectations.

Commenting on the research findings, Colette Kitterhing, Senior Director UK&I at Riverbed Technology, said: “Strong IT infrastructure is essential for any business but in the public sector – where ineffective systems cause major disruptions for national government departments, non-departmental public bodies such as the NHS, and service delivery – it is crucial. Especially during these unprecedented times, it is really positive to see that both IT and business decision makers in the public sector recognise the need to invest in the right technology to optimise their IT infrastructure – for both employees in the office and those working remotely –  and successfully achieve business growth, now and in the future.

Kitterhing, continued, “At Riverbed, we want to encourage public sector leaders to work together in order to identify and overcome the IT challenges they may be facing, from the lack of visibility, to poor network performance and inefficiencies due to outdated infrastructure. We fundamentally believe that in finding a solution to these problems, ITDMs and BDMs can unlock the capability to evolve their business, drive innovation, boost productivity and ultimately, achieve success in the public sector.” 

Rethink Possible: Evolving the Digital Experience

Over 80% of all public sector leaders (87% of ITDMs and 81% of BDMs) agree that organisations must rethink what is possible to gain true success in today’s fast-moving world. Technology has to be the enabler in the process. Riverbed’s portfolio of next-generation solutions is giving customers in the public sector across the globe the visibility, acceleration, optimisation and connectivity that maximizes performance and visibility for networks and applications.