Belgian companies are betting on digitalization, but increasingly encounter challenges.
Beltug’s biennial B2B market study, based on a survey of 1,150 IT decision-makers, shows that a lack of digital knowledge, cybersecurity risks and complex regulations are becoming increasing challenges.
Digitization in figures
Nearly three in four companies see digital transformation as important, but limited budgets and a shortage of skilled staff are barriers. Small (43%) and large (66%) companies experience these barriers. Moreover, companies indicate that regulations need to become clearer and more concrete so that IT departments waste less time on compliance. “Only 1 in 4 large organizations still plans to hire additional IT staff,” said Danielle Jacobs, CEO of Beltug.
Cybersecurity remains a concern. Large companies are better prepared, with 92 percent having an incident plan. Among medium-sized businesses, 59 percent are prepared, and only 38 percent of small businesses. That makes them vulnerable to cyber attacks. “It really is time to take the necessary steps and prepare an incident response plan,” warns Levi Nietvelt, Policy Lead at Beltug.
Despite economic uncertainty, IT budgets are rising: 40 percent of companies expect an increase by 2025. Cloud usage is viewed more nuanced, with a shift to private cloud. AI use is increasing, especially among large companies (51%), but generative AI often remains underutilized for now.