Okta, Inc. a leading independent Identity provider, has released the findings of its ninth annual Businesses at Work report. The study shows that, as the world adapts to post-pandemic travel and workstyles, business users are relying on a diverse range of apps, with security apps, electronic signature apps, and cloud platforms experiencing the fastest growth in unique users in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
The annual report provides a comprehensive overview of how organizations and individuals work today, highlighting the applications and services that enable modern workforces to be productive.
“As economies opened up in the past year, businesses and their users turned to a wide range of apps to get work done, from travel apps to book business trips to security tools to shore up cyber defences,” said Ben Goodman, Okta’s Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific. “This is a reflection of the new work environments that have emerged, along with the needs of a hybrid work arrangement that is here to stay.”
Key insights from Okta’s Businesses at Work 2023 report include the rising popularity of travel apps globally, significant YoY growth in business supplies, and the continued growth of design software worldwide and in the APAC region. Security tools, electronic signature tools, and cloud platforms also saw substantial growth in unique users in the APAC region.
Microsoft 365 is the most popular app by the number of users in APAC, followed by Amazon Web Services and Google Workspace. The region has also witnessed intense competition in the security category, with Jamf Pro, Netskope, LastPass, and ZScaler vying for the top spot.
Multi-cloud adoption continues to expand, with Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure experiencing impressive growth in the number of customers and unique users.
Apps that cater to both corporate and personal use are becoming increasingly popular, with PayPal, Venmo, and Stripe making strides in finance and banking apps. FitBit leads health and wellness apps; and LinkedIn being the top social media app.
Security remains a priority for companies as remote and hybrid workforces become the norm. Okta’s study found that low-assurance security questions are experiencing the slowest growth, while high-assurance security keys and biometrics (including Web Authentication) are growing exponentially.
“The Businesses at Work report delivers unique insights into the ways businesses have used apps to adapt to the new workstyle dynamics in the post-pandemic era,” added Goodman. “In this new normal, it will be crucial to ensure these apps are resilient, so they can be accessed reliably and securely to drive business goals over the long term.”
The Businesses at Work 2023 report draws on anonymized data from over 17,000 global Okta customers and the Okta Integration Network, encompassing more than 7,000 integrations with cloud, mobile, web apps, and IT infrastructure providers.
The research encompasses key Asia Pacific markets, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, China, India, ANZ, South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, and various other countries in Southeast Asia and Indochina.
To learn more about the Businesses at Work 2023 report, visit https://www.okta.com/sg/businesses-at-work/ .
