In modern business, departments not directly related to operations have had to fight to demonstrate their value. Marketing departments have been the go-to scapegoat, but information technology (IT) departments haven’t been far behind. In a recent survey conducted by CIO magazine, half of IT leaders surveyed said their departments were seen primarily as “cost centers” — meaning they do not add to profits.
But a reality check is needed here because a company’s IT department should be one of its major profit drivers. A 2016 Deloitte Growth Enterprise Services poll of 500 mid-market executives found that IT department leaders were responsible for 49 percent of technology adoption, compared to 36 percent a year earlier. In fact, IT departments are becoming more and more strategic, and technology is becoming a more reliable investment.
Clearly, then, there’s a disconnect there: IT teams are playing a key role in moving businesses forward, but their department heads still claim they’re seen as a sieve in the budget.
Yet, CIOs and IT departments play a much bigger role in business than they’re often given credit for, and that needs to change.
More about that IT reality check
If an attitude shift is in order, it’s executives and entrepreneurs who are in the most ideal position to bridge that gap and shift their (and their companies’) perspective, from viewing the IT function as a necessary evil to viewing these departments as innovation hubs.
The purpose for doing that isn’t to give them a warm fuzzy feeling, because there’s actually a lot more at stake. In a world reliant on and connected by technology, IT is vital to operations. Lacking IT resources is the same as lacking the machinery or manpower necessary to produce a product or service. A company simply can’t function without it.
And the “tech nerds in front of their computers all day” stereotype is exhausted and clichéd.
CIOs and IT departments are really agents for change and innovation. They create new, more efficient processes and provide solutions to stagnant operations. Hiring or partnering with an IT team means you have people whose primary focus is on innovation — and that’s essential in the hyper-competitive market accompanying today’s influx of entrepreneurs.
Removing cost from the thought process
Rethinking your IT department gives these professionals room to demonstrate the kind of innovation they’re really capable of. Here’s how to start:
1. Try to learn the basics of IT. Nothing will generate appreciation of your IT department…