As the end of financial year (EOFY) approaches, IT leaders face more than just reporting deadlines. It’s a natural inflection point and a time to reflect, assess and reset. But without a clear understanding of where your IT environment stands, it’s easy to carry existing gaps, inefficiencies and risks straight into the new year.
With the right focus, EOFY becomes the ideal opportunity to re-align your strategy, sharpen priorities and invest in clarity. This is the moment to step back and ask: Are we where we need to be, and are we ready for what’s next?
In this article, we’ll explore why assessing IT maturity is more critical than ever, what smart investments IT leaders are making right now, and how you can use EOFY as a strategic launchpad for FY26 and beyond.
EOFY Budget? Think beyond the spreadsheet
EOFY often triggers more haste than strategy. Gartner's 2025 CIO and Technology Executive Survey reveals that only 48% of digital initiatives meet or exceed their business outcome targets, highlighting the challenges organisations face in achieving desired outcomes from their digital investments.
Additionally, Gartner's research on technology buying behavior indicates that 59% of buyers regret at least one software purchase they made, underscoring the importance of strategic planning and assessment before making procurement decisions.
These findings suggest that instead of making hasty, ad-hoc purchases at the end of the financial year, organisations would be better off investing in strategic services like IT maturity assessments and expert consulting. Such investments can provide clarity, align IT initiatives with business goals, and set the stage for successful digital transformation in the upcoming financial year.
That shift away from rushed procurement signals a broader mindset change. Organisations are moving beyond tactical buys to focus on what truly drives enterprise value. From digital trust to sustainable infrastructure, the priority now is to ensure every decision supports measurable outcomes and long-term strategy.
So, what exactly are today’s IT leaders doubling down on as they plan for the new financial year?
What CIOs are prioritising in 2025
For CIOs, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of focused transformation. While budget scrutiny remains high, the spotlight has firmly shifted from tools to outcomes, and the pressure is on to align IT strategy with business impact, regulatory expectations, and long-term resilience.
Here are five key priorities reshaping how CIOs are planning and modernising their infrastructure:
- IT Modernisation with Measurable Business Value
Modernisation remains at the top of the CIO agenda, but not just for technology’s sake. CIOs are under pressure to prove how infrastructure investments drive measurable business outcomes. Legacy systems are being reassessed, not replaced blindly.
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Strategic AI Integration
AI isn’t a side project, it’s central to IT roadmaps. But before deploying tools like Microsoft Copilot, CIOs are prioritising assessments of data governance, tech stack compatibility and organisational readiness.
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Cybersecurity and Digital Trust
With heightened regulatory scrutiny and growing cyber risk, security is not just a tech function, it’s a board-level concern. Alignment with frameworks like ASD Essential 8 and ISO 27001 is becoming foundational.
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Sustainability and Compliance-Driven IT
Sustainability is now a business imperative, particularly with Australia’s new climate disclosure rules and rising pressure on energy-intensive infrastructure like data centres. CIOs are being tasked with making climate-conscious technology decisions that still support performance.
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Talent Shortages and Skills Planning
Modernisation efforts are being constrained by skill shortages. CIOs are prioritising strategic workforce planning, capability audits, and targeted upskilling to ensure they can deliver transformation without burning out existing teams.
Laying the groundwork for a smarter FY26
With organisations’ focus on modernising infrastructure, embedding AI responsibly, and delivering measurable business value, EOFY presents a critical opportunity to act strategically.
Rather than rushing into new tools or patchwork fixes, this is the moment to pause, assess, and ensure your IT strategy is built to support what’s next. That means understanding where your organisation stands today, and what it will take to lead tomorrow.
Unlike large-scale tech rollouts, these are light-touch, high-impact engagements that deliver:
- Clear benchmarking of your current-state IT maturity
- Prioritised recommendations aligned to risk, compliance and business goals
- Executive-ready outputs to support forward planning
This is how you move from reactive spend to proactive leadership, before the financial year ends. Better maturity means better decisions, faster execution, and stronger ROI in the financial year ahead.
4 smart investments to make now
When considering where to spend your EOFY budget, the focus should be on investing in initiatives that can set you up for early impact in the new financial year. These projects can be scoped now, with deliverables ready to land early in FY26 so you start strong, not scrambling.
Here’s where to focus your budget for maximum strategic return:
- 1. Security Operations Maturity Assessment
Strengthen your cybersecurity posture by aligning with the ASD Essential 8 and identifying gaps in threat detection, SOC capability, and incident response. Our security operations maturity assessment delivers a clear benchmark and roadmap to uplift your operational resilience.
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2. Cloud Readiness & Migration Planning
Whether you're exploring cloud or accelerating migration, this assessment helps you uncover inefficiencies, assess legacy risks, and build a business-aligned roadmap for Azure or hybrid optimisation. The Azure migration gives your team direction without disruption.
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3. AI & Automation Readiness
With tools like Microsoft Copilot accelerating AI adoption, now’s the time to assess your data governance, application stack and change readiness. A Microsoft 365 Copilot readiness assessment ensures you're set up to realise the benefits without introducing new risks.
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4. IT Strategy Workshops & Roadmaps
Customised strategy reviews align IT initiatives with business goals, helping you identify both quick wins and long-term programs. Walk away with a clear, prioritised roadmap to guide your FY26 IT planning.
These are not one-off projects. They are strategic investments designed to build maturity, improve compliance, and set the tone for the year ahead.
Why strategic EOFY investments deliver more than spend
EOFY isn’t just a date on the calendar. It’s a chance to demonstrate leadership, sharpen your priorities and set a stronger course for the next financial year. With the right services in motion, maturity assessments, roadmap planning, or targeted advisory, you gain early visibility, risk alignment and momentum that lasts beyond the quarter.
These aren’t stopgap activities. They help you lead with intent, justify decisions with confidence and make the most of a rare window to invest in clarity over chaos.
Ready to make your EOFY count?
Whether you're looking to benchmark your IT maturity, plan your next transformation step, or strengthen your cybersecurity strategy, we’re here to help.
And to give you even more flexibility, take advantage of our EOFY Prepaid Hours Offer.
Prepay for Professional Services before 30 June 2025 and receive bonus value, so you can lock in your budget now, and draw on expert support when you need it across the new financial year.
Scope your assessment or strategy engagement now. We'll deliver executive-ready outputs before EOFY, so you're set to lead with clarity in the new financial year.
Talk to us today to book your maturity assessment or strategic workshop to set FY26 up for success.
