Drawbacks of Progress Digital Transformation Has Strained IT Departments

DRAWBACKS OF PROGRESS

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION HAS STRAINED IT DEPARTMENTS BY DAVIA MOSS

Say you are an employee at a midsize corporation that recently decided to use two-factor authentication to bolster email security. You aren’t familiar with the security protocol, and management hasn’t sent out instructions regarding the change. You need access to your important emails, but the system won’t let you on until you get twofactor authorization set up. You place a call or message to your IT department to get help. Pretty simple, right?

However, on the other side of that phone call is a group of IT professionals who are working through the same problem with hundreds of other employees. What could be a simple adjustment to improve network and personal security will now likely lead to a major influx of calls to the IT department, keeping staff members from performing their more important duties of maintaining efficient digital systems and safeguarding the company’s intellectual property.

Technology has made IT more essential than ever, but it also has forced IT departments to spend more time on low-priority help desk tasks.

The Digital Era

According to a Deloitte study, 85% of small business owners surveyed believe the use of cloud technology helps businesses be more successful. Adoption rates for technology related to marketing and operations grows every year. By that definition, small business owners are entering into a more connected, efficient ecosystem that requires support by their IT firm or department.

“IT has become the backbone of a business,” said Harry Ellis III, chief information officer and president of Next Horizon, which provides technology solutions for businesses. “We are required to do more now than ever. Not only are we tasked with keeping the most important aspects of a business intact, but we are also required to be emergency responders to low-priority tasks too often.”

Harry Ellis III CIO/President Next Horizon

Expanded IT Services

At all levels of business, we are seeing technological advancements play larger roles in revenue generation, growth and business strategy. However, not every organization or employee is adept at adopting, learning and becoming proficient with new technologies. In fact, a recent Gartner study found that about 20% of businesses are not fully prepared to adopt emerging and even current workplace technologies such as virtual collaboration tools.

“We are seeing businesses test out and adopt new software on a regular basis,” Ellis said. “This not only means that IT departments are required to have an expanded scope of knowledge, but it also tends to spread IT staff too thin. Considering these demands, IT departments need to have good synergy with the rest of the company to allocate resources appropriately.”

Businesses simply cannot afford to stifle innovation. Commerce is more competitive than ever. It is the organization’s job to identify technologies that can improve efficiency and optimize profit.

Yet as technology permeates every aspect of a business, it becomes more difficult for IT staffers to quickly become experts on every piece of technology.

IT Skills Gap

time, the number of college graduates with IT degrees decreased by 11%. As technology advanced over the past decade, IT roles expanded, shifted and required more well-rounded skillsets. It’s estimated that by 2022, there will be a 42% change in the IT skills expected for the modern business. That’s a large shift for an industry struggling to find qualified candidates.

“As technology advances, businesses will require even more qualified IT personnel to stay competitive,” Ellis said. “When you combine the skills gap and the fact that current IT professionals are spread thin by lower-priority tasks, businesses may begin to struggle if they don’t put more effective systems in place.”

Ellis offered these words of wisdom for business leaders who are looking to get ahead of the trends: “I advise any business to work closely with its IT department and partners to prepare for new software and security initiatives. With attention and preparation, businesses can mitigate low-priority tasks and prioritize business growth.”

Davia Moss is the contracted marketing officer for Next Horizon, a Sanford-based IT and digital marketing agency that provides holistic technology solutions for businesses looking to improve sales, increase agility and optimize productivity. She can be reached at dmoss@ nexhorizon.net.