Today's CIOs are the architects of the workplace experience. Their reach extends to every function that powers productivity: HR, finance, and operations. But that growing influence is butting up against new challenges.

Rising employee expectations and economic pressures force IT teams to do more with less. Seemingly minor issues can still have major business impacts; 74% of workers say a simple technical issue can grind their day to a halt, according to Zendesk. Meanwhile, 82% of CIOs say their job is becoming more focused on innovation, according to Foundry's 2025 "State of the CIO" report. And the disruptive force that is artificial intelligence (AI) looms over every decision.

Against this backdrop, IT must evolve from a reactive help desk into a proactive engine for great employee experiences.

Complexity creates opportunity

Three converging forces are expanding the mandate of modern CIOs and redefining how their teams deliver value:

Plus, in this environment, traditional service-level agreements (SLAs) focused on speed and uptime no longer capture the whole story. CIOs must embrace experience-level agreements (XLAs) that measure satisfaction and engagement -- not just efficiency.

Behind this complexity lies a clear opportunity to reposition IT as a strategic driver for how business gets done.

AI as a catalyst for change

Exceptional IT service management is still the bedrock of this work. AI transforms it from reactive triage to proactive experience design:

In fact, 68% of organizations using generative AI report measurable productivity gains, according to Foundry's "AI Priorities Survey 2025." And 93% of IT leaders are already using AI to improve employee experiences, according to Zendesk. By embedding AI into workflows, IT can better anticipate needs and eliminate friction before it slows the business down.

Zendesk for Employee Service: Simplicity at scale

Zendesk for Employee Service is built to help CIOs lead this transformation. It unifies IT, HR, and operations into one AI-powered platform that breaks down silos and eliminates tool sprawl.

Employees get help however they prefer -- chat, email, or self-service -- and IT gains a centralized view of SLAs and XLAs across departments. Analytics reveal how service quality affects productivity, helping CIOs make more informed investment decisions. AI-powered workflows adapt to each organization's needs, reducing manual work and increasing agility. And with enterprise-grade security built into every layer, IT can maintain speed and usability without compromising protection.

The result is a modern service experience that scales with the business and prepares IT for the next wave of change.

From reactive to strategic

The CIOs who thrive in the age of AI will be those who design experiences, not just systems. By automating workflows and uncovering deep insights, IT can move beyond the service counter -- becoming a catalyst for growth, a driver of innovation, and a competitive difference-maker.

Zendesk for Employee Service makes that transformation possible, empowering IT teams to deliver employee-first experiences that drive lasting business value.

See how Zendesk helps IT leaders turn service delivery into a strategic advantage. To read the playbook, visit us here.