REGIONAL ROUND-UP
AFRICA APAC EUROPE MIDDLE EAST NORTH AMERICA
AUSTRALIA ’ S INDUSTRIES LAG IN DIGITAL MATURITY BUT BETTER PREPARED TO HANDLE UNCERTAINTY
Autodesk has released the Australian findings of its 2023 State of Design & Make report , revealing 36 % of organisations regard themselves as ‘ more digitally mature ’ than their competitors , slightly behind the global average of 38 % and behind China ( 57 %). Australian companies are also lagging behind on global sustainability targets and have experienced issues resulting from talent shortages more than other nations , according to the data .
Today , attracting and retaining talent is the top challenge for 48 % of respondents . Access to skilled employees is posing a barrier to business growth for 64 % of respondents . A total of 93 % of respondents said upskilling was important to their companies . Skills of the future include those related to technology , collaboration and regulatory knowledge .
Australia lagging global sustainability goals
The 2023 State of Design & Make report is a study of more than 2,500 business leaders – including 262 in Australia – in the industries that comprise the Design and Make category . These sectors include architecture , engineering , construction and operations , product design and manufacturing , and media and entertainment .
The report found the top three challenges facing Design and Make companies around the world are attracting and retaining talent , managing costs and responding to the volatile global economy and global events . The report also revealed striking differences in resilience and performance for companies that are digitally mature or further along in using digital tools to transform their businesses .
However , Australian companies are better prepared to weather the storm ; 63 % of local respondents agreed their company is prepared to handle changes , outranking US ( 51 %) and European ( 58 %) counterparts .
Although 36 % of Australian respondents regard their organisations as ‘ more digitally mature ’, 22 % are still at an ‘ early stage ’ of their Digital Transformation journeys , with 42 % ‘ right in the middle ’, 21 % ‘ approaching the goal ’ and 15 % having ‘ achieved the goal ’.
The report showed a consensus emerging on the importance of sustainability . Some respondents said taking sustainability measures will eventually account for a substantial part of their revenue .
Unfortunately , the report data revealed Australian companies were less likely to have taken sustainability actions around carbon , including :
• Creating clear goals for carbon neutrality – 13 % compared to 25 % worldwide
• Helping or requiring decreased carbon emissions from suppliers – 13 % versus 21 % worldwide
• Participating in voluntary carbon markets or carbon offsets – 13 % compared to 17 % worldwide
Digitally mature companies primed for growth
Digital Transformation is boosting business by reducing costs , increasing innovation , improving performance and enabling products and services to launch faster . Indeed , 79 % of respondents globally said that the future growth of their company will depend on digital tools . x
Autodesk also found Australian Design and Make organisations are more prepared to increase their digital investments , with 73 % planning to do so in the next three years , compared to a global average of 67 %.
Battling talent shortages and workforce changes
The workforce has evolved more in the past three years than in the previous 25 , said nearly three-quarters of respondents worldwide .
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