Low-code development helps businesses adapt to the ‘double whammy’ of Brexit and COVID

Low-code platforms are helping UK businesses adapt to the ‘double whammy’ of COVID-19 and Brexit, according to a new report from Mendix.

A survey of more than 1,000 UK companies and IT managers by the
low-code software

the company found that more than two-thirds (68%) of companies had implemented low-code tools
enable non-IT workers to build business applications

.

SEE: Everything You Need to Know About Using Low-Code Platforms (Free PDF) (TechRepublic)

This boom in low-code adoption is a direct response to the need for IT teams to work more closely with other departments in response to COVID and Brexit, the report suggests.

In financial services, 58% of respondents said low-code platforms enabled them to build new apps to support their business after Brexit. Data management (62%) and digital processes (62%) have been among the main focal points of companies’ IT efforts, Mendix found.

Insurance companies have also turned to low-code to implement new solutions, many of which have seen an increase in claims as a result of COVID-19. Of all the industries surveyed, Mendix found that insurance companies used low-code the most, with 70% believing it allowed them to introduce new applications to support the business after Brexit.

Enabling non-IT workers to become “ citizen developers ” using low-code tools can help organizations adopt new technologies much faster, Mendix said.

“British companies were grappling with a
digital skills gap

well before 2020. But the past year has created a conundrum; although Brexit and COVID have made digital skills even more valuable, there is a risk that talent will be harder to find, ”the report says.

“Low-code technology is a powerful option here. By allowing IT to work directly with colleagues from other teams to manage digital projects, you can not only accelerate innovation, but also empower other teams to learn essential development skills.

Brexit has been on the minds of British bosses for several years now. British companies have been preparing to leave the EU for 2.6 years on average, according to the Medix survey.

SEE: Low-Code Platforms: An Insider’s Guide (Free PDF) (TechRepublic Premium)

Almost half (46%) of IT executives surveyed said they have prioritized solutions that strengthen business resilience in anticipation of Brexit. This was slightly ahead of improving employee agility or productivity (both at 45%). The technologies that support these initiatives recorded the largest gains, with cloud computing (27%), collaboration software (26%) and productivity software (26%) the most cited.

Along with the growing urgency to rapidly develop new digital solutions, leaders are particularly concerned that the UK’s transition from the EU will make it harder to find skilled digital workers.

Sixty-one percent of respondents said they feared Brexit would make it harder to find the talent they needed, while 14% expressed concerns about hiring international workers and 13% feared to lose existing staff.

Businesses are turning to them to help solve this problem: 70% of business leaders say
improve employee skills for new digital roles

which could complement the internal IT teams. It also seems to be paying off, with 65% of executives saying their employees had become more tech savvy during 2020.

Yet while financial services, insurance and logistics companies have successfully adjusted to the challenges of COVID-19 and Brexit, slower public sector leaders are less confident.

SEE: TechRepublic Premium editorial calendar: IT policies, checklists, toolkits and research to download (TechRepublic Premium)

Fifty-two percent of public sector leaders said they feared they were lagging behind on
digital transformation,

and only 52% said they were sufficiently prepared to support the public after Brexit. The same proportion blamed a lack of clarity on the part of the central government for putting them “on the back”.

Despite this, 48% of public sector organizations said they are already using low-code solutions to help them move forward. Mendix suggested this meant the public sector would be in a strong position to help the public recover from COVID-19.

Nick Ford, Vice President of Product and Solutions Marketing for Mendix, said: “The double whammy of Brexit and the COVID pandemic has forced UK businesses to radically change the way they operate. Digital transformation initiatives can no longer be put on hold while the IT team fixes the immediate problems – they are the immediate problem to be solved.

“While 2020 has been a good time for them to experiment, we will see this new approach to software development come to fruition in 2021 as companies juggle their need for resilience and innovation.”

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