SolarWinds, a provider of powerful and affordable IT management software has announced the findings of its ‘IT Pro Day 2018: A world powered by tech pros’ survey.

The results explore a world where technology professionals have the opportunity to be ‘Tech PROactive;’ in other words, what they would do if they had the time, resources, and ability to use their technology prowess to do anything – from improving IT environments, to global societal challenges, and even their personal lives.

The survey supports IT Professionals Day, which is observed on the third Tuesday of every September (September 18, 2018), and intends to emphasise appreciation for IT professionals, the critical role they play in end user’s lives, and in operating a successful, modern business.

“Today’s technology professionals face a tremendous amount of responsibility at work, from one-off user requests and help desk tickets to the expectation of continuous technology implementation,” said Joseph Kim, executive vice president and chief technology officer, SolarWinds.

“As a result, they have very little time to dedicate to being Tech PROactive. In honour of all the work they do, we want to celebrate the fourth annual IT Professionals Day by giving tech pros the freedom to explore all the ways they would use their technology aptitude to take their worlds forward – from IT optimisation to helping solve societal challenges like environmental sustainability.”

UK key findings

The SolarWind’s survey explores a world wherein technology professionals have the time, resources, and ability to use their technology prowess to do anything. In support of IT Professionals Day, global technology professionals were polled through a series of studies to provide unique insight into what a world powered by tech pros looks like.

In a world powered by technology professionals:

• End users are the top priority

  – Two-thirds of UK tech pros surveyed respond to one-off user requests on a daily basis, and over half (51%) of tech pros respond to help desk tickets on a daily basis.

  – Even when they have time to be proactive at work, researching new technologies that will benefit the end user is still the number one priority for one in four tech pros (26%).  

• Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning, and cloud computing would not only transform IT environments, but the greater good, according to respondents

The top three new technology advancements that tech pros would use to solve challenges within their IT environment if they had more time would be:

1. Cloud

2. AI/machine learning/deep learning

3. Automation 

Technology professionals say they would use these technologies to:

1. Uncover more actionable insights for business leadership

2. Make repeatable tasks quicker and more accurate

3. Scale easily and cost effectively by using the public cloud

The top three technology advancements that tech pros would use to solve broader societal issues if they had more time to do so would be:

1. AI/machine learning/deep learning

2. Cloud

3. Big data analysis 

Technology professionals say they would use these technologies to pursue two main societal challenges:

1. Affordable education, housing, and healthcare for all

2. Environmental and sustainability initiatives

• Personal development is top of mind but requires a time commitment outside the traditional workday

The top three work-related activities that tech pros would spend their time on if they had one extra hour in the workday:

1. Developing a skillset (39%)

2. Planning/strategising future technology innovation in your IT environment (26%)

3. Researching new technologies (23%)

• Their IT prowess would also power their personal lives

The top three areas outside of work that tech pros would use technology to enhance:

1. Managing finances – By using machine learning (ML) to grow investments and diversify their portfolio

2. Vacation planning – Such as utilising cloud-based services to store and link travel data, and using IoT-based devices to generate real-time insights while on-the-go

3. Home DIY projects – Such as using virtual reality (VR) to visualise a kitchen remodel before implementing changes

“In 2017, we revealed that technology professionals are the backbone of our businesses,” Kim added. “This year, we’ve seen this trend continue, with tech pros going above and beyond their responsibilities to explore new technologies and educate themselves further.”

“Thirty-nine percent of UK.technology professionals shared that they’d continue developing their skillset if they had one more hour in the work day, and 23% shared that they’d spend it researching new technologies. We’re excited to celebrate this fourth annual IT Professionals Day by highlighting their interests – at work and at home -and their dedication to their field.”