The X Inefficiencies That Cause IT Departments to Move Slowly

An IT department should run in the background in relative anonymity. When responsibilities are handled properly, there shouldn’t be much noise coming from this part of the organization. Unfortunately, most IT departments are anything but efficient. They’re slow and cumbersome, which produces frustrating reverberations in other key areas that directly drive profitability and growth.

The Negative Impact of IT Inefficiencies

Your company’s IT department is more important than most people realize. If something breaks down, fails, or falls apart in this area, it leads to negative ramifications elsewhere. Some of these side effects include issues like:

• The inability to provide customers and clients with the services they’ve been promised.

• Downtime that costs the business sales.

• Overwhelming customer service requests and complaints.

• Frustrated employees who feel like they don’t have the resources necessary to perform their job duties.

• Time spent putting out fires, as opposed to performing valuable tasks that directly drive the bottom line.

This is just a small sampling of the problems that IT inefficiencies can create in an organization. Depending on the exact issues your IT department faces, you may find that your problems vary.

5 Inefficiencies You Need to Overcome

It’s one thing to recognize that you have an inefficient IT department. The question is, what are you going to do about it?

Before doing anything else, gather your IT professionals and decision makers and address the following productivity-zapping issues:

1. Digital Clutter

Digital clutter is everywhere around us – in our personal lives, professional lives, and everywhere in between. And when it comes to digital clutter in the business world, IT departments tend to account for most of an organization’s overflow. By emphasizing the need for decluttering, you can free your team up to focus on the things that truly matter.

In the process of decluttering, it’s helpful to update all technology and software to the latest versions. In doing so, you can enjoy some of the built-in productivity features that app and system developers are prioritizing.

If you’re using Mac products, note that the new macOS Mojave system update was recently released. In addition to other features, it has a Dark Mode, which allows users to block out distractions and enjoy greater focus. (If you do update, just make sure you’re aware of some of the problems that frequently occur, as well as the quick fixes for them.)

2. Lack of Proper Governance

“Committees are the old governance,” Bob Lewis writes for InfoWorld. “As governance sets the pace for everything IT does, and committees slow down everything they touch, making committees the centerpiece of governance dooms IT to a snail’s pace in spite of anything else you try.”

Unfortunately, most organizations – including yours – have IT committees with various members who have different priorities, experiences, expectations, and goals. Not only does it take a long time to schedule meetings and get everyone on the same page, but it can take months to make even simple decisions.

But what if the best governance is actually a natural outflow of having a well-developed organizational culture?

This is exactly what Lewis advises. “Let culture do the heavy lifting instead,” he says. “If everyone understands what’s most important and knows to focus on it, most governance becomes superfluous.”

3. Multitasking

Multitasking: We all do it. We also all think we’re good at it, when multitasking actually erodes productivity, zaps energy, and destroys focus. Every interruption costs your IT department precious time and puts the quality of work at risk.

While your team will always have multiple responsibilities on their plate at once, make it a point to schedule time so that tasks can be tackled in isolation. Verbally chastise multitasking and make it clear that you want your team to be focused on one critical task at a time. When employees don’t feel the pressure from management to multitask, they’re more likely to focus.

4. Suppression of Shadow IT

Shadow IT can be a huge a thorn in the side of your IT department. IT leaders constantly feel the need to shut down, reprimand, and override the various software and hardware solutions that employees use behind their backs. But what if shadow IT isn’t as bad as you think? In fact, what if it’s your suppression of shadow IT that’s ultimately the biggest inefficiency?

“We embrace the idea of this shallow exploration of new technologies, new tools, and new processes by our users,” IT professional Ralph Loura writes. “To the degree that they discover these applications or services that make their jobs easier, that make them more efficient at selling or better at running a supply chain or better at sourcing talent, then everybody wins.” 

You’ll obviously need to deal with issues that blatantly put your business at risk or bog down critical processes, but don’t push back on the small things that promote productivity simply to make a point. Your time is better spent elsewhere.

5. Relying on Tech for Everything

Do you remember the old Apple (News - Alert) iPhone commercials that used the catchy slogan, “There’s an app for that!”? This was at the very beginning of the app craze and the tagline was designed to show people that there was an app for any need or challenge. A decade later, we truly believe this (for better or worse).

While there may be a technological solution for almost any problem or responsibility you face in your business, remember that there’s also a need for human input.

“It was when I started trusting the people around me to make smart decisions and offer valuable advice that things really started rocking,” says Jay Steinfeld, CEO of Blinds.com. “No mobile app or online solution could replace the rich ingenuity that my employees have brought to our business. There’s no cooler computer than the human brain.”

Use technology to your advantage, but don’t become reliant on automated solutions. Sometimes people can do things smarter and faster.

Take Charge of Your IT Department

The IT department is the heart and soul of the modern business. By proactively dealing with inefficiencies, you can make your organization faster and more productive. And there’s no better time to start than today!