How to streamline your IT business in 2021

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Over the last 12 months, the IT sector has been resilient and has been one of the success stories in terms of adaption and evolution. That doesn't mean that there aren't still struggles.

As we transition into 2021, there is a need to address the way we do things. By drilling down into four core areas; remote working, IT management, communication, and expenditure, we bring you some tips to help streamline your business and bring success in the next year.

Improve remote working capacities

Remote working has been increasing in popularity during the last few years as companies have begun to appreciate the lower overheads and the benefits of empowering staff. But, in the last 12 months, remote working became a means of survival for many businesses. Remote working was rolled out with little preparation and on an ad-hoc basis, resulting in more than a few hiccups along the way.

Working in IT means that most of the work can be conducted remotely, which is already a big advantage over other sectors. Designers, coders, programmers, technicians, support, UX engineers, and more, can all be easily transitioned to working from home. Next year, you should be better prepared for the challenges of remote working. Make sure your team has the right equipment for the job, invest in the best tools you can afford to facilitate it, and build on your long-distance management skills.

Look at IT management 

IT is essential to your infrastructure and in an increasingly digitised world, it is more important than ever. With remote workers and new technologies, you need proper monitoring equipment to stay on top of it all. Hiring staff to oversee every aspect of all your hardware and software around the clock is costly and logistically complex.

However, thankfully, there are various tools at your disposal that can help you. A good example is the SolarWinds monitoring bundle that provides complete systems monitoring. It is important to focus on services such as this, that include server and application monitoring, virtualisation management, a storage resource monitor, web performance monitor, and more. This will save you time, money, and give you all-important peace of mind.

Communicate with your team

Communication is key to successful working relationships and the overall success of your business. When was the last time you asked your employees what is working well, what they want to change, and what ideas they have? Engaging staff from every level of your business can provide you with insights you may not have previously comprehended.

You can hear their feedback, negotiate, discuss, and problem-solve together, while making them feel like they are being listened to. Schedule regular meetings including 1-2-1s and stay on top of any issues that arise. This is even more important in the age of remote working when face-to-face contact is limited. People working in IT like coders, engineers, and programmers are not famed for their interpersonal skills but, in 2021, more than ever, you need to make it work.

Audit yourself

As budgets get smaller and revenue is uncertain, it's time to take a long, hard look at your finances. Look through all your expenditures from the last year; your third-party contractors, software licenses, server hosting, hardware sourcing, IT costs etc, and figure out where you can make savings.

Working in IT, you need to stay abreast of the latest technology and of course, this has a price, but you need to see where you can make savings as well. Be thorough, be honest, and be brutal. Conducting this exercise can keep you going for longer and save you having to make human resources costs.

The global IT sector is on track to surpass a value of $1 trillion in 2021, so follow these tips to ensure you are a part of that success!

Photo Source: Pexels

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