We just released research that should make every IT leader pause: a survey of over 1,000 IT and security professionals revealing the true cost of fragmented tech stacks.
The headline finding? Teams managing 16+ tools report 50% high burnout rates, compared to just 17% for teams with 1-5 tools. Tool sprawl isn't just a budget issue - it's driving burnout, inefficiency, and leaving organizations exposed to security threats.
When Solutions Become Problems
The data reveals a direct correlation between tool count and team exhaustion. It's not subtle, it’s measurable in the results. It's a clear progression from manageable to miserable as organizations add more point solutions to their stack.
The top challenges facing teams tell the story:
- 49% struggle with too many overlapping tools
- 46% deal with gaps between tools
- 41% face security risks due to poor integration
- 38% waste time on compliance and audits
One IT leader who switched platforms captured it perfectly: "With our previous solution, there was major burnout amongst my team. Since making the move, that burnout is nearly gone and we're seeing the change pay dividends."
The Hidden Security Risk
For IT teams, tool sprawl feels like wasted time. For security leaders, it looks like exposure. Multiple disconnected tools create blind spots, inconsistent enforcement, and fragmented alerting - meaning more openings for attackers who increasingly target integration seams.
As one respondent put it: "Complexity of multiple systems, coupled with difficult or non-existent integrations."
The Strategic Work Deficit
Perhaps most troubling: only 26% of teams focus primarily on strategic work. The rest are trapped in maintenance cycles, with 12% completely consumed by tool upkeep. This creates a vicious cycle where fragmented stacks demand more maintenance, stealing time needed to consolidate and automate.
The Real Wish List
When asked to redesign their ideal tech stack, the overwhelming demand wasn't for more features - it was for better integration (61% top priority) and automation (48%). Teams that prioritize these report lower-than-average burnout.
The message is clear:
"Integrations are the most important."
"Automation and integration are our mantra."
What's the Path Forward?
Tool sprawl has moved beyond an efficiency issue, it's now a systemic threat to both people and organizations. The era of "more tools" is over. The next decade will be defined by integrated, automated platforms that reduce maintenance burden and close the seams attackers target.
For IT leaders, the choice is no longer between innovation and consolidation. It's between burnout and resilience, between risk and readiness.
Read the full 2025 IT and Security Tool Sprawl Report
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