![\"Productivity\"](\"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/Productivity-e1291070228913.jpg\" "\\"Productivity\\"")
It\u2019s funny, really. We hear all of this talk about \u201cShadow IT\u201d, like it\u2019s some big new problem. The fact is, “Shadow IT” is not a new trend. It\u2019s an old problem with a new name.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s funny, really. We hear all of this talk about \u201cShadow IT\u201d, like it\u2019s some big new problem. The fact is, “Shadow IT” is not a new trend. It\u2019s an old problem with a new name.<\/p>\n
“Shadow IT” is nothing more than employees finding ways around the IT department. This usually happens when the IT department isn\u2019t meeting the user\u2019s needs in a timely manner.<\/p>\n
In the past, it involved spreadsheets. If the IT department couldn\u2019t meet the users needs fast enough, they turned to spreadsheets. Users found all sorts of uses for spreadsheets, creating forms, reports, analytical applications, and more. The fact is, spreadsheets were the original \u201cShadow IT\u201d.<\/p>\n
But, if \u201cShadow IT\u201d isn\u2019t new, why is it such a big problem all of a sudden? The way I see it, there are two reasons:<\/a><\/p>\n With recent economic problems, many IT professionals lost their jobs, leaving many IT departments understaffed. Since the workload didn\u2019t decrease, the remaining IT professionals were left to handle the same responsibilities…only with less people.<\/p>\n With the rise of available Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings, users now have plenty of (good) options. If the IT department can\u2019t meet their needs, what\u2019s to stop them from going out and finding a cheap or free web-based solution?<\/p>\n Do you see how these factors contribute to the \u201cShadow IT\u201d phenomenon? These overworked and understaffed IT departments can\u2019t possibly fulfill all the requests and demands of the users. This leaves the users searching for (and finding) alternative options.<\/p>\n So, what\u2019s the answer? How can you address the \u201cShadow IT\u201d problem before it starts?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s one way: Put your IT staff in a position to meet the user\u2019s needs. For some companies, this means bringing in more staff. For other companies, this means giving their current staff the necessary tools to complete their jobs quickly.<\/p>\n The big question is this: How can you improve your current staff\u2019s productivity without bringing in new employees or outside help?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re in this position, here\u2019s a great story for you to read: It\u2019s about a 2-person IT staff that were facing some big projects, but couldn\u2019t bring in any outside help. To learn how they fixed the problem, read the whole story right here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s funny, really. We hear all of this talk about \u201cShadow IT\u201d, like it\u2019s some big new problem. The fact is, “Shadow IT” is not a new trend. It\u2019s an old problem with a new name. “Shadow IT” is nothing more than employees finding ways around the IT department. This usually happens when the IT …<\/p>\n1. The economy<\/h3>\n
2. Users have options<\/h3>\n