The digital transformation landscape is rapidly evolving, and organizations around the world are adapting to stay ahead of the curve. Zoho, a global technology company, has released its global survey titled “Workplace Digital Transformation Survey 2025”, which highlights the region of APAC as a leader in digital transformation. In this article, we will delve into the key findings of the survey and explore what sets APAC apart from other regions.

The APAC Advantage: Cybersecurity Adoption and AI-Powered Tools

According to the survey, APAC is leading in several key areas, including cybersecurity adoption, AI-powered workplace tools, and structured collaboration processes. The study reveals that APAC organizations have the highest adoption rates of multi-factor authentication (40%), cybersecurity awareness training (44%), and secure remote work policies (44%). Additionally, AI-enhanced search and knowledge retrieval has reached 54% adoption in APAC, significantly ahead of the global average of 28%.

• APAC organizations have a maturity score of 66.35%, overtaking developed nations and the global average (62.3%).
• APAC leads in digital transformation, with businesses rapidly adopting collaboration tools, security protocols, and AI-driven solutions.

Key Trends in Productivity and Collaboration

APAC businesses surveyed rank high in the performance indicators for productivity and average for collaboration. Organizations replace Workplace tools to streamline processes and enhance efficiency. Productivity tools are often adopted at a team level, while collaboration and security tools are deployed organization-wide.

• APAC leads in internal request management adoption (56%) and team chat tools for low-volume collaboration (72%).
• APAC outpaces global adoption of social intranet tools (27%), reinforcing its focus on centralized communication.

Key Trends in Security Tools and Protocols

APAC leads in security performance and workplace tool adoption, driven by a strong awareness of evolving cybersecurity challenges. The study highlights key trends shaping the region’s security landscape.

• APAC leads in cybersecurity training (44%) and advanced authentication (40%), surpassing the global average (<35%).
• Secure remote work guidelines see strong adoption (49% in education, 46% in large organizations), but incident reporting remains low at 20%.

AI Adoption in the Workplace

APAC is at the forefront of AI adoption, with AI-enhanced search and knowledge retrieval with an average of 54% of respondents reaching adoption—significantly higher than other regions. AI-powered communication tools also see strong uptake (50%), particularly in technology (56%) and retail (56%).

Workplace Experience and Change Management

APAC’s workplace experience is closely tied to digital transformation, with organizations that modernize their tools reporting higher maturity scores and improved employee sentiment. The study explores key trends in workplace maturity, tool upgrades, and their impact on employee experience.

• The study indicates a strong correlation between workplace tool maturity and employee experience. APAC organizations that have undergone a complete overhaul of workplace tools report a 68.2% maturity score and a 57.8% positive workplace experience.
• Organizations that implemented major tool replacements, such as ERP and CRM, achieved a 67.0% maturity score, with 39.7% of employees reporting a positive experience.

The Way Forward

APAC continues to lead in digital transformation by integrating collaboration tools, security protocols, and AI solutions to improve workplace efficiency and employee experiences. While challenges remain, particularly in document collaboration and security incident reporting, the region is well on track to reach an optimized digital maturity state in the next 10 years. To reach maturity, organizations have to transition and implement advanced platforms in their workplace and focus on process optimization across all departments within the organization.

The survey highlights the importance of digital transformation in the workplace and the need for organizations to adapt to stay ahead of the curve. As APAC continues to lead in digital transformation, it is essential for other regions to take note and follow suit. The survey provides valuable insights into the key trends and challenges in digital transformation, and organizations can learn from APAC’s experience to improve their own workplace efficiency and employee experiences.

“APAC continues to lead in digital transformation, with businesses rapidly adopting collaboration tools, security protocols, and AI-driven solutions. Our research highlights that organizations in this region are not only embracing modern workplace technologies but also integrating them more effectively to enhance productivity and security. We see this adoption in the strong growth trends in our products as well, with Zoho Workplace customers increasing by more than 15% in the region in 2024.