SolarWinds 2025 IT Trends Report reveals confidence in resilience may be overstated amid persistent workflow and staffing challenges
A new report from SolarWinds, “Fragile to Agile: The State of Operational Resilience,” reveals a growing confidence among EMEA IT leaders in their organisations’ resilience—but also exposes critical gaps that threaten long-term agility. Despite 89% of respondents describing their organisations as resilient, only 34% feel “very resilient” today.
The survey, which included over 200 IT professionals across EMEA, found that nearly half (45%) of IT leaders still spend a quarter of their week resolving disruptions. This disconnect between perceived resilience and operational reality suggests that many organisations may be overestimating their preparedness.
“Too many organisations are still bogged down by manual processes and firefighting disruptions.”
— Abdul Rehman Tariq Butt, Regional Director – Middle East, SolarWinds
Manual processes emerged as a major barrier, with 35% citing them as the top obstacle to resilience. Staffing shortages and inefficient workflows were also flagged, with 38% of respondents stating they lack the personnel needed to maintain resilience.
“Across the Middle East, we’re seeing unprecedented investment in digital transformation,” said Abdul Rehman Tariq Butt, Regional Director – Middle East at SolarWinds. “But resilience isn’t just about spending more. Organisations must streamline workflows and empower IT teams with the right tools and talent to shift from reactive recovery to proactive innovation.”
Encouragingly, a quarter of respondents are allocating up to 30% of their IT budgets to disruption prevention, signaling a strategic shift toward embedding resilience into daily operations.
