New research released this week by Tanium highlights the need for automation to mitigate human error, improve security, and reduce burnout. The Impact of IT Operations Automation on the Morale, Productivity, and Security Posture of IT Teams report reveals that 43% of Australian IT teams are wasting up to 20 hours per month fixing human errors, with 17% dedicating at least three days to resolving mistakes.
When asked about automation’s role, 75% of IT workers agreed automation could help reduce burnout, an issue that has affected 69% of IT teams in the last six months. Additionally, more than 78% believe automation tools can improve overall security by shortening patch cycles, reducing vulnerability exposure, and improving incident response.
“The research demonstrates that automating IT operations will lead to better productivity and boosted morale by reducing burnout and creating more meaningful work,” said Tanium’s Regional VP James Greenwood. “These factors alone play a major role in ensuring IT teams are best equipped to protect Australian organisations from cyber threats while being more productive and fulfilled. With automation, IT teams can focus on meaningful projects while strengthening their organisation’s security posture.”
According to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), human error accounts for 30% of data breaches – a statistic that underscores the need for automation.
“From the CISO’s perspective, cyber is a growing challenge across three dimensions: data, time and workforce,” said former CISO Gary Blair. “The reality is that most organisations are drowning in data, only some of which may be relevant to the cyber mission. The signal-to-noise ratio continues to evolve – the needle in the haystack is becoming more elusive, putting more pressure on IT teams than ever before. It’s no surprise human error is getting in the way of security.”
The research was commissioned by Tanium and conducted by Pureprofile between October 8 – 15, 2024, surveying 110 Australian-based professionals working at companies employing over 1,000 people.
The research also highlights a disconnect between executives and IT teams regarding automation adoption. While IT professionals cite budget constraints as the primary barrier (49%), only 38% of C-suite leaders acknowledge budget as a limiting factor. Instead, they attribute slow adoption to company culture (13%) or a lack of perceived need.
As cyber threats continue to rise, automation offers a clear path to improving security, efficiency, and job satisfaction. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of IT workers want to adopt automation tools to focus on higher-value projects, and 90% say that manual, repetitive tasks negatively impact workforce morale.
You can read the full report here.
