SWNS

Over half of IT workers feel overwhelmed by the amount of tasks they have to do in a day. The international poll of 1,000 U.S.-based, 250 U.K.-based and 250 India-based IT decision-makers found 58% overall feel overwhelmed — 78% in India, 60% in the U.K. and 53% in the U.S. On any given day, the average IT worker only has the capacity to support 85% of the tickets they receive. And while roughly half are easy for IT teams (50% in the US, 48% in the UK, and 46% in India), nearly one-third (29%) of tickets are considered difficult to resolve. IT workers also reported they are frequently responsible for a range of additional tasks within their organization, which may contribute to feeling overwhelmed. Respondents said they are responsible for addressing cybersecurity issues (39%), internal security issues (26%), and lack of budget (25%). But, according to the study commissioned by GoTo and conducted by OnePoll, AI (artificial intelligence) is increasingly coming to the rescue of IT teams and is likely to continue evolving the way they work in the years ahead. A large majority of respondents (92%) would consider the use of AI beneficial for work and 94% say they would be willing to delegate simple tasks to AI. Seventy-three percent would also be willing to delegate even complex tasks to the technology. On average, IT workers believe delegating tasks to AI could save them more than two hours of work during any given workday. Four in five (83%) believe it would be easy for them to offload their simpler tasks to AI. In fact, the potential of AI has caused 93% of IT leaders to consider upskilling in order to leverage the technology in their day-to-day tasks. The most commonly reported tasks IT teams are looking to offload to AI included monitoring network performance (44%), basic device troubleshooting (42%) and remediating basic problems (40%). “Despite many feeling overwhelmed, we’re excited to see how IT decision-makers are seeing AI as a beneficial tool that they can use to make IT easier to manage,” said Olga Lagunova, Chief Product and Technology Officer at GoTo. “Many people see AI as this scary entity, capable of taking their jobs. But what this data tells us is that there are many people in this industry across the globe who see it as a way to make their own workloads easier.” The survey also revealed 73% of IT teams already use AI, and 61% of those who don’t are planning to adopt it in their organization within the next 12 months. Sixty-five percent said their team is directly responsible in deciding if their organization will use AI in the future. In adopting AI, many shared how they believe their roles will be affected over the next 10 years: having more time to focus on higher-priority tasks (48%), more efficient ticketing workflows (43%), and additional IT team responsibilities (41%). If AI were able to manage certain tasks on their behalf, respondents would spend more time working on improving their organization’s IT infrastructure (55%), focus on more difficult tickets (46%), or improve their organization’s security (42%). In the US, 44% would aim to improve their organization’s security. Meanwhile, many in India (48%) and in the UK (36%) would take the time to focus on their professional development. “There’s no denying that there’s still a lot for us to learn about AI and what it can do,” continued Olga Lagunova. “What’s important to keep in mind is how people in the IT industry are keeping themselves properly up to date and informed on the best practices of AI in their workflow. And we believe that it’s going well.” Survey methodology: This random double-opt-in survey of 1,000 U.S.-based IT decision makers, 250 U.K.-based IT decision makers, and 250 India-based IT decision makers was commissioned by GoTo between Feb. 28 and Mar. 8, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

One in five Americans are “always” thinking about planning their next vacation while on vacation, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 adults who travel found that one in five long to be on vacation again the day they get back (21%) and another 27% said this feeling sets in within a week. The average person spent 11 days on vacation in 2023. Looking ahead, the average American wants to spend 15 days on vacation in 2024 and, if they had unlimited PTO, they’d want to spend 18 days. Although just a quarter of respondents said they travel more than the average person they know, 46% want to be known as a frequent traveler by others in their life. Conducted by OnePoll for timeshare brand Club Wyndham, the survey found that 89% of those surveyed said vacation reduces their stress levels, even temporarily, with 84% saying a vacation can relax them and decrease stress for up to two whole weeks upon returning. A majority of respondents said that they consider vacations as a form of self-care (86%). Similarly, eight in 10 would be interested in a “do-nothing” vacation where they sit by the pool, beach or inside reading a book or relaxing. “According to the survey, more than 70% of potential travelers count down to their vacation, and a majority long to travel again just one week after returning home,” said Annie Roberts, senior vice president of club and owner services at Club Wyndham. “With today’s travelers often putting a great deal of time and thought into the trip planning and dreaming stages to ensure a vacation that is well tailored to their interests, it’s not surprising that they want to experience the ‘vacation glow’ again and again.” To make sure they get what they’re looking for, those surveyed go to great lengths to plan their vacations. Respondents want to steer clear of discomforts like sharing a bathroom with others (27%) and want to avoid situations where they would have difficulty sleeping (27%). Nearly a quarter of travelers said sharing a hotel room isn’t ideal and the same percentage said small hotel rooms were a dealbreaker (23%, each). Most Americans surveyed said that when on vacation with others, they prefer having their own or extra space to spread out (79%), including 82% of parents. If they had their dream hotel room, respondents would make sure there was Wi-Fi (55%), a private balcony or outdoor area (41%), a large bedroom (37%), a large bathroom (33%) and a full-sized kitchen or kitchenette (32%). “With nearly a third of respondents (29%) spending most or all their time at their hotel or resort while on vacation, it’s clear that travelers deserve more than just a place to sleep,” said Roberts. “People want to ensure their vacation decisions bring them quality, consistency and peace of mind for their entire experience. Accommodations that actually enhance your vacation, like separate bedrooms, bathrooms and full-sized kitchens, offer travelers a special luxury — the chance to gather comfortably to enjoy shared moments that become lifelong memories.” Survey methodology: This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 Americans who travel was commissioned by Club Wyndham between March 22 and March 28, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).