CIO conducted the COVID-19 Impact Study to better understand how organizations were prepared for this past month and beyond, and how IT leaders are responding.

1. SOURCE: CIO COVID-19 IMPACT STUDY, APRIL 2020.
This survey was conducted between April 10–14 2020, to understand how the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
is affecting IT leaders’ roles, priorities, and expected long-term effects on their IT organization and business as a whole.
IDG Communications, Inc.
59%
expect these restrictions
to last more than 10 weeks
81% FINANCIAL SERVICES
49% GOVERNMENT
65% say that their technology support
systems were prepared to address new
business shifts in overall IT consumption
71% agree that the current situation
has created a more positive view of remote
workplace policies and will likely impact
how they plan for office space and staffing
in the future
AVERAGE ANTICIPATED DURATION
— 10.2 WEEKS
NOTES OF ENCOURAGEMENT
How Long Will Social & Work Restrictions Last?
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
68%
agree that their tech
infrastructure was prepared to
adequately address employees
working from home
45% Security management
44% Aligning IT initiatives
with business goals
42% Improving IT operations/
systems performance
41% Driving business innovation
29% Identifying opportunities for
competitive differentiation
29% Developing and refining
business strategy
SEPTEMBER 2019 IN 3 YEARS (AS OF SEPT. 2019)
Activities Taking Up IT Leaders Time
45% Cost control/expense
management
38% Improving IT operations/
systems performance
37% Redesigning business processes
NOW (APRIL 2020)
Good News — Only Slight Shifts in CEO’s Top Priorities for IT
37% Lead digital/business
transformation initiatives
37% Improve remote work
experiences
29% Upgrade IT and data security
to boost corporate resiliency
FOLLOWING COVID-19
39% Lead digital business/digital
transformation initiatives
31% Upgrade IT and data security
to boost corporate resiliency
29% Strengthen IT and business
collaboration skills
PRIOR TO COVID-19
61%
agree that the effects of the
pandemic are accelerating their
digital transformation efforts
74%
EDUCATION
70%
GOVERNMENT
Which Business Initiatives Have Increased in Priority?
75%
MANUFACTURING
48%
Increase
cybersecurity
protections
55%
Improve
customer
experience
55%
Optimize
employee digital
experience
56%
Transform
existing business
processes
62%
Increase
operational
efficiency
70%
EDUCATION
74%
HEALTHCARE
68%
SERVICES
66%
GOVERNMENT
12345
9.7
WEEKS for TX
HOW WILL IT BUDGETS CHANGE
IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?
Areas of Uncertainty
52%
anticipate that
their supply chain
will see continued
disruptions,
impacting their
ability to innovate
49%
agree that their
crisis/pandemic/
resiliency planning
process prepared
them for the
current situation
44%
say that they need
to acquire new
technology
solutions/services in
order to address the
new work dynamic
25%
INCREASE
40%
THE SAME
35%
DECREASE
21%
ENTERPRISE
30%
SMB
38%
ENTERPRISE
41%
SMB
40%
ENTERPRISE
29%
SMB
36%
GOVERNMENT
61%
HEALTHCARE
! ?
10.7
WEEKS for NY/NJ
IT Leaders’
Response
to the
COVID-19
Pandemic
Starting out 2020, technology initiatives were filled with promise. More than half, 59%, of IT leaders expected
their IT budgets to increase over the next 12 months while only 7% expected a decrease in budget. Organizations
were actively researching innovative solutions such as 5G, AI & machine learning, and IoT.
COVID-19 has brought sudden and unexpected shifts to these plans. CIO conducted the CV-19 Impact
Study to better understand how organizations were prepared for this past month and beyond, and how IT
leaders are responding. Check out some highlights below.