Mission-critical workflows are the heartbeat of modern business, yet our research reveals a dangerous disconnect between their importance and how well they’re protected. With 64% of organizations experiencing an average of 6 critical failures annually, and only 47% confident in their risk management, we’re facing a silent crisis that demands immediate attention.

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This study, conducted by the Ponemon Institute, examines mission-critical work: the tasks, systems, or processes within an organization that are essential to its operation and survival. The study surveyed 619 IT and IT security practitioners to learn more about the technologies, strategies, and best practices for managing mission-critical operations.

Key Findings about the State of Mission-Critical Work

The study revealed that organizations must carefully manage risks to the tasks, systems, and processes that they rely on to reduce disruptions and failures. It identified several insights about the state of mission-critical work that can help organizations better understand and mitigate risk to these workflows.

Reliability is at Risk

Mission-critical failures aren’t rare events – they’re the new normal for most organizations. 64% of organizations surveyed experienced failures in the past year, with an average of 6 disruptions per organizations. 46% of teams said that these disruptions brought their operations to a complete halt.

The Cost of Failure is High

Every minute of mission-critical downtime costs exponentially more than prevention. Those costs can range from compliance fees to long-term reputational damage.

Mission-Critical Workflows Represent a Security Gap

Cyberattacks have become the #1 threat to mission-critical operations, with 50% of failures caused by cyberattacks. 61% of teams state that a stronger security posture is the best way to ensure these workflows stay up and running, but only 52% are confident in workflow security.

Information Siloes Exacerbate Risk

Who’s in charge of making sure these mission-critical workflows stay healthy? Business leaders often own their own workflows and the tools that support them, meaning that they aren’t governed by central IT practices. Not surprisingly, the study found that communication barriers plague 60% of organizations surveyed.

We also found that when organizations put dedicated teams in charge of managing these workflows, they reduced the failure rates by 10%.

AI Presents Both Productivity Gains and Security Challenges

The rapid evolution of AI solutions has given teams a wealth of new resources that can accelerate, streamline, and advance their mission-critical workflows. But these new capabilities are not without risk. While 51% of teams have adopted AI to power their mission-critical operations, half of those early adopters say that fear of data leakage or theft is a significant concern.

Download Optimizing What Matters Most: The State of Mission-Critical Work

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About Ponemon Institute

Ponemon Institute is dedicated to independent research and education that advances responsible information and privacy management practices within business and government. The Institute conducts high-quality, empirical studies on critical issues affecting the management and security of sensitive information about people and organizations.