Reframing the IT department: The new driver of business productivity 

For decades, IT departments have been viewed as a siloed part of the business, designed to offer technical support, from resetting passwords to resolving hardware issues. While dealing with technical difficulties is a key aspect of the role for many IT professionals, the rise of digitized workplaces and solutions requires businesses to both re-evaluate and reprioritize how they view IT teams and their potential.  

In our increasingly online, data-driven world, technology now facilitates almost every aspect of a business in some capacity. Effective use of these evolving systems is crucial not just for basic day-to-day functions but for communication, data analysis, and customer and employee experience, all of which are essential drivers of growth and productivity.  

Challenging Perceptions

Reframing the IT department is crucial, but we must also challenge our perceptions of the typical IT professional and what they can bring to the table. The prevailing trend of focusing on human centricity and the 'people & processes' aspect of business is important, but it should not overshadow technology's essential role in driving innovation and growth.

Employees across almost all departments are rightly expected to become more tech-literate. However, we should also expect IT professionals to become more 'people literate.' This shift in mindset is essential to fostering collaboration and breaking down silos between IT and other departments. Then, when these silos are broken down, technology can serve as a foundational catalyst for innovation and change, funneled through and led by IT professionals but spread across the business as a whole. As a result, IT becomes more than just a single departmental piece of a larger organizational whole. Instead, IT becomes a foundational driver across all departments.

A Shift in Mindset  

Many IT departments are currently structured reactively - as a help desk that primarily fixes problems rather than identifies opportunities. Business leaders often still think of their IT team as "the tech people" rather than core business collaborators. The most crucial aspect of reframing the IT department is transforming them from a reactive to a proactive business function. However, moving IT teams into a strategic, forward-thinking role requires a shift in mindset from both business leaders and IT professionals. 

In pursuing organizational excellence, business leaders must recognize the unique nature of the untapped potential within their IT workforce. These individuals possess a wealth of company knowledge and technical skills that can be harnessed to identify issues, devise efficient strategies, and implement effective solutions. By proactively acknowledging and fostering their expertise, leaders can unleash a revolutionary asset that will propel their businesses to new heights of innovation and success. Embracing these IT professionals as vital contributors to the company's growth will not only solve immediate challenges but also drive a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability, essential traits for thriving in the dynamic modern business landscape. 

To empower IT teams with this new mandate, organizations must be willing to invest time and resources into upskilling. Some staff may need business strategy, communication, and leadership training to complement their technical expertise. Furthermore, continued education on emerging technologies could be key for identifying cutting-edge solutions. 

Similarly, IT professionals must be ready to step up to the challenge. This new strategic role requires looking critically at business goals and pain points. IT leaders should be proactive in pitching and implementing ideas that can drive tangible business results. They must also learn to communicate potential returns in ways the C-suite can understand and get behind. To be convinced, business leaders must be able to identify the benefits and ROI as well as how proposed changes would impact the business’ bottom line. 

When technology decisions are made collaboratively with business leaders and emerging tools are implemented effectively, the benefits compound exponentially across departments. Smooth internal operations and processes manifest in improved customer and employee experiences. Data-driven insights unlock new value. Everything is connected. 

Unlocking Productivity 

IT-driven solutions are already responsible for systemic changes within companies, enhancing cross-department synergy and optimizing performance. In more specific use cases, this IT lead approach is at the forefront of business change.  

In sales and marketing, closer connection between teams provides vital insights to improve lead generation and close rates. Collaboration tools and data analytics have become essential components of modern business operations, by integrating customer relationship management systems with marketing automation platforms, sales and marketing professionals' access valuable data that can significantly improve lead generation and close rates. 

In the realm of customer experience, eye-catching digital signage and user-friendly interfaces are invaluable. Digital interfaces give customers easy access to product information, promotions, and personalized recommendations, enhancing overall satisfaction and driving brand loyalty. For employees, streamlined processes, clear navigational structures, and intuitive tools all contribute to smoother workflows and reduced training times for new hires. As a result, employees can focus more on value-added tasks, fostering a productive and motivated workforce. 

HR also benefits significantly from expanded IT capabilities. Transitioning manual processes like recruitment, training, and internal communications to intuitive, automated platforms saves time and centralizes data. HR analytics gleaned from these digital systems provide workforce insights to improve talent pipelines and performance. 

IT as a Foundation for Innovation 

By integrating new digital technologies into workplaces, businesses are already seeing profound and transformative benefits. While this process of optimization and automation can often be seen as a precursor to layoffs and redundancy, in reality, businesses are just as likely to reinvest the newly available human resources into more impactful areas. Adequately implemented technology solves problems and enhances the work of employees rather than replacing them.  

Empowering IT as a proactive business accelerator will become an ever-increasing competitive advantage as the digital economy continues evolving rapidly. The initial transformation process may encounter growing pains but will enable lasting agility, productivity, and innovation. If they aren’t already, business leaders should begin regularly consulting their IT departments on opportunities to strategically implement technology for greater efficiency, insights, and experiences. At the same time, IT professionals must be ready to step up and guide businesses into the digital-first age. 

By embracing technology as the connective tissue between all business functions, we can build smarter, seamlessly connected organizations. The IT department need not be relegated to the realm of technicians. With the right framework, IT can finally assume a place as a key driver of business innovation and success. Proactively foreseeing, not merely reacting.

Image credit: Gorodenkoff/depositphotos.com

Mark McDermott is the Co-Founder of Digital Product Studio Codegent & CEO of digital signage start-up ScreenCloud. Based in London, UK