Getting the Best out of Our IT Departments

Getting the Best out of Our IT Departments:
In a world of international meetings and flexible working, IT support is no longer a 9-5 job. Yet the structures most businesses have in place often fail to allow for this and instead restrict both IT workers and the people who rely on them.
More and more companies are giving their employees the opportunity to work away from their desk. While this should be applauded, it means we need to rethink how we structure our offices.

Not only are IT workers having to support workers who are away from their desk, they are also having to support a range of platforms that were unimaginable even five years ago. Gone are the days when everyone worked on a desktop computer and could only use software approved by the IT department.
Now, employees are working with their own laptops, smartphones and tablets, often using their own software. The way IT departments function needs to reflect the diversity of this Bring Your Own Device culture.

Going Remote

With more business than ever taking place remotely via the Internet, it’s only logical for the support structure to also exist remotely. Freeing up IT professionals to work remotely will provide a sounder support structure for your business, while increasing your employees’ quality of life.
A recent survey by IT Manager Daily found that a third of IT employees would give up 10 percent of their salary in exchange for the option to work full-time from home. Currently less than 1 percent of IT workers are given this option, but tools such as GoToAssist, which allows IT workers to use their iPad to connect remotely to a network and provide real-time diagnostics and support, make it easier than ever before. Coupling GoToAssist with other remote working tools means you can have a fully functioning IT desk without the need for an actual desk.
Imagine a world without the frustration of only being able to get help with a technology problem when the relevant support worker is at their desk. The new generation of workshifting tools offer that world today.

Photo credit: H Sterling Cross