co-sourcing Archives

8 ways IT Managers can more effectively support remote workers

Posted on September 14, 2020September 14, 2020 by QuoStar

Many businesses simply were not equipped for full-scale remote working and, with little time to prepare, it’s understandable why some had to piece together partial solutions just to get everyone set-up and working. However, with large numbers reporting that they’d like to retain some element of remote working and business reaping the benefits (without seeing huge downturns in productivity), it seems this trend could be here to stay for the long term.

To ensure remote working doesn’t put the business at risk, from a security and operational standpoint, IT Managers should begin to review policies and procedures in this area. While things may have worked ‘fine’ in the context of a pandemic, there are likely some gaps that need to be addressed in order to optimise remote working, improving the process for employees and the business alike.

How to support remote workers in 2020 and beyond

1. Complete network visibility

IT Managers must be able to confirm who is working remotely, which devices are being used and which critical applications are being accessed, so they can ensure the business remains secure. This is particularly important where employees are connecting to a VPN.

2. Understand the end user’s perspective

In order to improve the digital experience for employees, IT Managers need to ensure they have the tools and technology in place to identify, assess and resolves issues as they happen. Implementing a monitoring platform that can collect real-time, accurate data from end-users’ devices would allow IT teams to promptly identify issues and prevent issues before they arise. In the case where the issue points to a larger problem across the network, it also gives IT teams a chance to issue a resolution before it affects others.

3. Be proactive

Just responding to IT requests or issues in a timely manner is no longer enough. IT teams need to operate in a proactive manner in order to reduce productivity losses. Implementing a monitoring platform which collects accurate, real-time data from employees’ devices, web browsers and collaboration tools, will help IT Managers identify potential issues and address them before they cause pain.

4. Help end-users to help themselves

IT teams can often find themselves stretched thin, trying to resolve issues for on-premise and remote workers. By utilising the right engagement and automation tools, IT Managers can empower end-users to resolve common problems themselves by implementing a self-help system. This may include creating troubleshooting guides for low-level, recurrent issues, utilising Microsoft Teams bots like FAQ Plus and Quick Responses or encouraging remote workers to log IT issues with certain information so they can be resolved more efficiently.

5. Promote collaboration tools

Collaboration tools have seen huge uptakes as employees look for ways to maintain effective communication across the business. Microsoft Teams alone reported a 70% increase, with active daily user numbers jumping to more 75 million. The performance of these tools is tied largely to the performance of the local device and network, which the IT team has less visibility in a remote working environment. So, in order to be able to provide sufficient support and seamless collaboration experience for end-users, IT Managers should consider solutions which will give them the level of visibility they need.

6. Address shadow IT

When it comes to remote workers, security is often one of the biggest challenges for IT Managers. Away from the office, employees can wind up using their personal devices to conduct business or start accessing personal applications (such as instant messaging, streaming services and cloud storage) from their work device.

It’s critical that the IT team take steps to address this, but at the same time, they should also seek to understand why employees are using these tools instead of company authorised ones. Is it a case that they don’t know the tool is available? They don’t know how it works? Or it doesn’t have the features and functionality they require?

7. Ensure regular communication

One of the most oft-cited downsides of remote working is isolation. It’s important that lines of communication are kept open so remote workers still feel part of the business. To ensure remote workers are receiving the support they need, IT Managers should consider using engaging feedback tools such as email surveys and polls.

Microsoft Teams comes with several personal apps, bots and connectors which IT Managers could utilise to manage the feedback process. Microsoft Forms, which allows users to easily create survey, quizzes and polls, and Polly, which gathers real-time insights with simple polls, are just two examples of the tools available.

8. Implement training and educate employees

Many employees have needed to quickly adopt new collaboration tools in order to effectively work from home. While they may have gotten used to them, having to learn how to use tools ‘on the fly’ probably means they’re probably missing out on features which could significantly improve their day to day activity, productivity and efficiency.

Training will also help strengthen security parameters by ensuring employees are aware of the types of attack, how they should respond and how their actions could affect the business. There was a big uptick in the number of cyber-security attacks during the first wave of the pandemic, but generally, the landscape changes so regular security training for end-users should be carried out on a regular basis.

Conclusion

The switch to remote working happened at incredibly short notice for most companies. What typically would require months of planning, pilot tests and stress tests to successfully rollout simply had to happen there and then, and this has likely created a lot of new challenges for IT departments.

It seems that it might still be some time from businesses can have their entire workforce back in the office at once – if they even wish to revert to that – but there are steps IT managers can take now to improve the remote working experience.

With employees more reliant on technology than ever before, IT teams need to ensure they have effective communications channels in place to understand and address the needs to end-users. A proactive, security-first approach will not only improve the user experience but also help prevent remote working from posing a risk to the business.

Join the IT Leaders’ Community

Are you an IT pro looking to keep up to date with the latest technology news, get a first look at product releases and upgrades, and engage with like-minded peers?

Join the IT Leaders’ Forum for exclusive content, downloadable assets and exclusive invites to free events with top-tier tech partners.

Top 13 challenges for IT Managers right now

Posted on September 1, 2020September 1, 2020 by QuoStar

Challenges for IT Managers

While this change in perspective is positive, it does mean the scope of an IT Manager’s role has increased considerably and, with this, come new challenges to address.

1. Big data

Businesses are generating more data than ever. Unfortunately, most of this is unstructured so it can’t really add any value. Transforming this data into measurable and actionable insights is one of the largest challenges facing IT pros but get it right and it has the power to completely transform a business, giving greater insight into operations, customers and the wider marketplace.

2. Asset and data management

The ever-increasing number of devices in the workplace means more monitoring and maintenance. To effectively and safely deal with this, it’s crucial that the IT strategy includes appropriate information governance programs and mobile device management policies.

As well as managing the known hardware, IT Managers must also be aware of the threat of the unknown. Shadow IT, hardware and software used by staff without the IT department’s approval or knowledge, is an increasing problem in mid-market businesses. In fact, it’s estimated that the number of software programs in use is 14 times higher than thought. This can include things like using cloud file stores like DropBox or Google Drive to share files, personal instant messaging apps or online CRM solutions.

Shadow IT FAQ: Everything you need to know about the hidden risks and how to address them

3. Data protection

Forward-thinking mid-market businesses will have already taken a ‘privacy by design’ approach, but meeting regulatory and compliance standards around data protection is a continuing concern. Customers demand – and expect – their data to be private and secure, and any potential threat can easily drive them to a competitor.

4. New technologies

While keeping up with new technology is a challenge, a greater one is working out what’s the best fit for the business and communicating the reasons why to senior leadership.

This can be a particular problem for IT Managers who don’t have a seat on the board. It’s all too easy to get swept up by the wave of new, shiny tech and become concerned that your business is missing out because others appear to be investing. Yet this is exactly the type of spend that puts the business at risk and, in turn, creates ‘bad feeling’ towards IT. It’s crucial that IT Managers advocate for ‘a seat at the table’ to address the challenge of new technology and use their experience and expertise to guide the business towards effective investment.

5. Evolving cybersecurity threats

Cyber-security is a huge challenge, with attacks constantly growing in size, sophistication, and frequency. This rise coupled with rapidly deployed remote working solutions during COVID has led to new risks being introduced to IT environments that quickly need evaluating and controlling.

Businesses cannot take this threat lightly, as it presents a financial, reputational and operational risk. However, it’s also the area with one of the largest skills gaps – there simply aren’t enough IT security professionals worldwide to meet demand. In Europe alone, the cyber-security skills gap doubled in 2019 and two-thirds of organisations have reported a shortage of skilled or experienced security personnel.

As cyber-security is such a vast and rapidly developing area, it can be difficult for IT Managers in mid-size companies to keep up with all the latest threats whilst also managing day-to-day activity, projects and continual improvement. To address this challenge, IT Managers should consider deploying advanced technologies and services, such as SIEM and MDR, and explore co-sourcing to obtain specialist cyber-security knowledge and experience.

6. Mobile device management

BYOD is nothing new, but the introduction of multiple corporate and personal devices into the workplace during the pandemic continues to cause issues for IT Managers. The threat landscape and companies risk profiles have grown significantly and controls and so has the need to control it. Keeping users productive and engaged whilst working fulltime is going to need some focus and strategy in the medium and long-term.

7. Skills gap

IT Managers not only have to contend with a cyber-security skills shortage but, overall, there is a general gap when it comes to tech and IT skills. This has been partly driven by the breadth and pace of innovation, but also because businesses are beginning to recognise the notable role technology plays in attaining their strategic objectives and require a different skillset from their IT pros.

Businesses attribute skills gaps to lower staff productivity, fewer sales, a lack of innovation and new product development and increased operating costs. Yet, despite recognising the harm it causes, few have the processes in place to address skills gaps and do not offer formal training to technical employees to upskill.

These gaps will only continue to grow and cause further harm unless action is taken. IT Managers must convey to senior management the value of continual and strategic training for technical employees and secure budget to ensure this can happen.

However, even with training, it’s unlikely that one or two IT professionals will be able to meet all the technical and strategic skill requirements of a mid-sized business unless you’re solely focused on ‘keeping the lights on’. It can be prohibitively expensive to build out a large internal IT team and retain individuals for the long term, which is why IT managers often turn to co-sourced IT support as a way to gain the specific skills they need, often at a fraction of the cost.

8. Cloud computing

The fallout from the pandemic is only expected to further accelerate the move to the cloud and between cloud platforms, such as a shift to hybrid public and private environments. The flexibility, scalability and potential of different cloud platforms are just too greater opportunities to ignore. However, it’s important that IT Managers oversee the selection process to prevent rash decision making and budget wastage.

For those exploring new cloud-based services, it’s essential to consider security across multiple platforms. Traditionally, multiple clouds meant also managing multiple inconsistent and incompatible security systems. Now, a better option would be a cross-cloud, cloud-agnostic security platform which ensures complete enterprise-wide security, regardless of asset location.

9. Digital transformation

Digital transformation is complex, and it can be difficult to achieve success. Yet in order to prevent savvy competitors from overtaking them, businesses really need to focus their efforts in this area.

Projects or initiatives often fall on IT Managers because they’re seen as ‘tech’, but in order to achieve a successful digital transformation, the entire senior leadership needs to be engaged, establishing a clear reason for transformation and fostering a sense of urgency for making changes. The challenge for IT Managers lies in driving forward this behavioural change so digital transformation is seen as a much wider piece.

10. Hiring and retaining talent

The high demand for specific skills and a lack of suitable candidates results in fierce competition, which can make it difficult for mid-sized businesses to retain their technical talent. It’s not just a higher salary which can tempt IT pros away. Greater flexibility, upskilling opportunities, more manageable workloads and a chance to specialise – rather than the expectation to manage everything ‘IT’ – are all often cited reasons for a move.

While businesses should review their hiring and employee retention processes to identify areas for improvement, on the technical side they should also consider what skills they really need to have in-house. For example, cyber-security skills are essential, but can your business really offer the work, environment and – to be frank – the salary required to retain an expert with a niche skillset? Rather than engaging a specialist recruitment agency to find that talent, would it be more beneficial to consider other ways your business could gain access to those skills at the level you need.

Read Now: Co-sourced IT Support Guide: The Top 5 Benefits

11. Instilling trust

While recent events have moved IT into the heart of the business, IT Managers will need to work strategically to retain this position.

IT was hailed as a hero for helping mid-market businesses quickly make the full transition to remote working, keeping everyone running and productive. However, with people coming back into the office, IT risks becoming the villain by simply seeking to address some of the bad habits staff may have picked up during lockdown – i.e. restricting personal apps, preventing home-working until stronger security measures are in place, slow responses as the helpdesk becomes overloaded.

12. Increasing workloads

It’s positive that senior management is beginning to recognise the contribution of IT on a strategic as well as operational level, but this comes at a price for IT Managers. Not only are they typically responsible for day-to-day monitoring, maintenance and issue resolution, they also need to undertake improvement projects, create the IT strategy, investigate opportunities and generally help drive the business forward. It’s a vast set of responsibilities and often it may feel like there are not enough hours in the day to do it all.

13. Outsourcing

The combination of hiring challenges, skills gaps, trouble retaining talent and increasing workloads will lead many businesses to consider outsourcing or co-sourcing.

While this is usually necessary to meet the growing requirements of mid-market businesses, it often raises concerns around reliability, accountability and security. IT Managers can typically be responsible for assessing the suitability of third-party partners, vendors and suppliers so it’s vital they have a strict assessment process in place so they can feel confident in the engagement.

An IT Manager’s role is continually evolving and therefore becoming more challenging. As the scope of responsibilities and accountability becomes wider, new challenges for IT Managers will crop up alongside those which have held fast for some time.

A number of these challenges can be addressed by IT retaining a central position in the business and having a voice at the decision-making table. IT Managers cannot address these challenges solely by themselves, they need the support of the entire senior leadership team

Join the IT Leaders’ Community

Are you an IT pro looking to keep up to date with the latest technology news, get a first look at product releases and upgrades, and engage with like-minded peers?

Join the IT Leaders’ Forum for exclusive content, downloadable assets and exclusive invites to free events with top-tier tech partners.

4 common problems for IT Managers and how co-sourcing can help

Posted on September 27, 2017April 28, 2021 by Beth Price

What are the most common problems for IT Managers?

Problem One: Keeping up with everything

Hardware, software, telephony, IT security, servers, emails… all this requires monitoring and maintenance, and keeping everything on track can be challenging. Not to mention trying to keep up with technological advancements, new security threats and the latest strategic developments. One practical solution would be to involve a co-sourcing partner to manage the appropriate tasks and reduce the workload burden. For example, your co-sourcing partner could manage IT security, your server platform and web management (e.g. DNS hosting, web design and hosting) whilst you take care of end users, communications and connectivity.

Is co-sourced IT support right for your business? Book a free online review to discuss your requirements

Problem Two: Skill gaps

Even an IT manager who oversees multiple team members, will have some skill gaps. This means that external support can often be required to fill these gaps, especially in specialist or niche areas. It may not be necessary to hire full-time team members with these skills, so a co-sourcing partner can provide you with the right technical assistance when required.

Problem Three: Not enough time

Many IT managers may have to deal with the issue of stretching limited resources. One area this can arise is the Service Desk. IT Managers often find themselves juggling internal service requests, ongoing maintenance and monitoring, projects and business priorities. If you don’t have the resources to cover all these points then partnering with a co-sourcing provider who can offer a proven Service Desk could be a good option to consider.

Problem Four: Hitting KPIs

Like many other departments, the IT department has its own KPIs and targets to hit but this can sometimes feel difficult if your resources are already stretched. Co-sourcing provides an efficient, cost-effective and flexible way to optimise results, without drastically increasing overheads or losing control. It can free up time so IT Managers can concentrate on the areas best managed by an internal team, confident in the knowledge that an experienced partner has responsibility for the rest of the tasks.

Co-sourcing can be a great option for those businesses who want to develop an internal IT team, but also require additional support for particular areas. It does not replace an internal team, instead, it helps supplement skill gaps on an as-needed basis.

The flexibility of this approach means IT managers can decide what to keep in-house and what to outsource. The most important thing is that you find the right partner for your business. A good co-sourcing partner will always work in partnership with you and ensure seamless integration with your existing team.

Co-sourced IT Support Guide: The top 5 benefits

Posted on September 20, 2017August 5, 2020 by QuoStar

Outsourced IT support and internal IT teams both have their pros and cons, but there is a third option available to businesses and that is co-sourced IT support. Co-sourcing is a flexible approach which allows you to supplement your internal IT department with external resources, which can alleviate the team’s workload and simultaneously provide you with additional resources, experience and skills.

What is co-sourced IT support and how does it work?

The activities you will co-source will largely depend on your business. Some common co-sourcing scenarios include:

Providing helpdesk support
Extending your support hours to provide 24×7 coverage
Managing your infrastructure, servers and administration
Delivering security and virus protection
Providing disaster recovery and remote backup services
Migration support (e.g. migrating to Office 365)
Delivering strategic consultancy and business process transformation

What are the benefits of co-sourced IT support?

1. Lower Costs

Keeping expenditure in check is an important consideration for a business owner. However, IT – particularly around security – is not an area where you want to compromise on quality. Co-sourcing can be a good way of achieving a balance because it typically has lower overheads. Yet you can still gain access to the specific skills and experience required for a particular project.

As you can rely on outsourced IT support staff to perform certain functions you may be able to limit the number of people you require full time in-house. As business owners will know, finding and retaining skilled IT engineers is expensive and time-consuming. While outsourcing may not be right, having an external team helps with workload distribution, preventing build ups and delays.

Discover IT support designed for IT professionals to help them supplement their team with the skills and expertise they require

2. Flexibility

Another benefit of co-sourced IT support is its flexibility. Depending on your set up, your internal team may deal with daily issues but have no time for projects. Or who simply don’t have the right skill set for performing specific functions, such as security or infrastructure management. In these situations when projects do arise it can cause tension and stress as the internal team simply can’t manage it all.

For example, if your business decides to migrate to a new system (such as Office 365) it can be helpful to not only have additional help at hand but to be able to rely on people who have experience with this particular type of migration.

This flexibility is ideal for businesses who don’t require a large team on a day to day basis but do require additional assistance in specific areas. Co-sourced provides you with reliable, high quality and experience support where and when required.

3. Scalability

If your business is growing rapidly, or you operate in an industry which experiences flux, then there may be occasions where you rapidly require extra support but it’s not practical to simply start trying to hire additional IT engineers.

Co-sourcing allows you to increase your IT support in-line with your business needs, without the hassle of additional recruitment – which may not be practical from a financial or time-scale point of view.

4. Improved Security

A co-sourced IT provider will have the resources to keep up with the latest security developments and are well placed to assist with or take responsibility for IT security. Even minor vulnerabilities, such as neglecting to apply the latest patch, can leave your systems open to threats such as malware and ransomware, so IT security is not an area that you want to neglect.

5. Frees up your internal team

Many internal IT teams can often find their time eaten up by support issues. Leaving them unable to dedicate time to projects, system improvements and changes which deliver value to your business.

Depending on the structure of your internal team and the skill base you have, one option would be to use your co-sourced partner to manage and fulfil internal service requests, freeing up your team to focus on valuable projects.

Alternatively, your co-sourced partner could take responsibility for larger projects while your team focuses on internal operations.