IT managers are facing a variety of issues including managing staff, adding value to their organisation and enhancing security and business agility.
It has never been a more challenging and exciting time for an IT Manager. IT Managers need to ensure their business is equipped with the right technology and tools to support their ongoing business’ digital transformation.
The way we all approach business is changing. As we constantly try to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology, individual departments within a business are becoming as agile as the larger companies themselves.
IT departments are experiencing incredible changes as their roles expand to impact customer service, sales and even business strategies. As a result, companies are increasingly turning IT into a driving force in all aspects of business.
More than a technology facilitator
In years gone by the role of an IT Manager was focused on infrastructure. In modern business, the IT Manager is more than a technology facilitator. IT is playing an increasingly integral role across many departments, from operations and finance to marketing and human resources. Today’s ‘company IT guy’ has far more to oversee than software and hardware.
One thing to understand when managing the growing pains of IT is that it’s no longer the work of a single department. The modern IT Manager is a tech-savvy innovator who creates change across the entire business.
IT Managers are driving change at an organisational level and are looked at to deliver a competitive advantage. Since our reliance on technology increases with each passing day, IT is steadily moving to the front end of business.
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Reliance on technology
The IT department is becoming the hub of business. IT Managers must transform their workforce along with it and look to drive innovation and business growth.
We’re at a point in time in which IT drives operations at every level of a company. Changing the old model of IT as a separate entity into a breathing part of the business will mean a thriving enterprise and one that runs smoothly.
Since personal mobile devices are increasingly the technology of choice in the office, all eyes are on IT to maintain security integrity while also ensuring employees can effortlessly work with any device, anytime and anywhere.
IT is creating truly all-wireless workplaces where Wi-Fi is unescapable, guest and BYOD security are automated, office appliances are mobile-device friendly and communications applications on mobile devices simply work better.
As technology continues to be the critical element in the success of a business, the IT Manager will be the tip of the spear in enabling new revenue streams and employee satisfaction.
IT Managers sceptical about moving to the cloud
There is a growing trend among businesses to move IT departments away from their traditional roles to crucial positions as revenue generators. Departments within businesses are looking to IT departments to help impact and improve business outcomes by enabling the use of innovative technologies to engage with target audiences in new and exciting ways.
With cloud computing, IT managers don’t have to worry about running programmes on their own computers if they don’t have the right resources, as other computers on the network can take care of it. By migrating to the cloud, you will be no longer required to buy equipment and software. Instead you will have more time to spend on business objectives and to understand more about the rest of your business.
Cloud Computing is above all a window into the new world of agility. It allows the building of resources to prove concepts for short periods, experiencing little cost. IT Managers can utilise shared platforms to deliver services using ‘just enough’ resources. This flexibility removes time from IT innovation cycles changing the pace of a business.
In the event of security vulnerabilities, cloud computing can plug the hole before any damage can occur. In the past, classic server structures used to have to be updated one at a time, making it a complicated process.
Now, with cloud computing, security vulnerabilities can be fixed instantly by combined resources. Each computer relies on each other to ensure that any requests to accomplish a task are handled instantaneously through the data-handling ability of the entire network.
Increased Efficiency
A move to the cloud is a way for IT Managers to adopt new ways to handle their responsibilities. Cloud computing is a more efficient way of going about the business of IT and means lower overall costs and improving efficiency in business.
IT Managers will still be needed to run networks and applications as well as coordinate support and helpdesks. Ignore knee-jerk reactions you might have read about cloud services making IT managers and departments redundant. Cloud is going to expand your skillset and transform your job description for the better.
Running an IT department has always been about staying at the forefront in a field that is constantly changing. IT Managers will still play a crucial role in keeping many cloud-based systems fully operational.
Tim Hall is Chief Technology Officer at Blue Logic. He heads up Blue Logic's technical development of new and existing products and services, working with vendors and partners to ensure Blue Logic are delivering the best and latest solutions to customers. Tim has extensive experience gained from over 10 years in the industry.