The best workers are always coming up with new ideas on the spot. They devise ways to avoid obstacles when they come upon them. Employees who overcome challenges innovatively are frequently honored as employees of the month or receive other accolades. However, when individuals work independently rather than with their IT department, they frequently cause more issues. A non-corporately governed rogue IT solution, like a personal Google Drive or DropBox, might be disastrous. This blog post discusses the issues with allowing employees to develop an IT solution without consulting IT.

I wanted to share a brief anecdote before we get started. Employees dared to buy their Wi-Fi router and create a Wireless SSID to be linked to a few years ago because they did not like the Wi-Fi coverage at their workplace. The network would shut down repeatedly for days, which drove the IT personnel nuts. The team could see that something else was assigning IP numbers on the network, but they could not determine what it was. The IT director advised searching the server room for anything plugged in that shouldn’t be there because it had to be something tangible. I noticed a stunning cobalt blue and black Linksys Wireless Router on the employee’s desk behind their monitor as I passed by their workspace. This self-installed router was engaged in a power struggle over the server’s position as the hub of communication from the main network, resulting in intermittent internet access. Let’s examine some major issues with IT solutions developed outside your IT department.


First issue: data loss

When an employee establishes an account using their personal information (email, phone number, etc.) and then loses access to that email, this poses a serious concern. There is now a possibility of losing the information saved to that account because the company does not handle that email. If the organization cannot recover the data, there is also a significant danger of data loss if an employee leaves the company. As the hybrid workforce expands, it is typical to see individuals take independent action since they may feel alienated from the company while working from home.

No of the position within the firm, we always advise as consultants to only create login credentials that can be managed corporately. The organization needs to be able to shut down access as soon as possible to minimize harm if an employee leaves the company or is compromised, for example.


Second issue: Control

Who manages your Data? I want to ask you this question today if you haven’t already done so. Your IT division? or the “Solutions Hero” working independently within the organization?

The company needs to exercise independent judgment when handling confidential and private information. This relates to the initial point, and I counsel my clients to reflect on the following issues:

  • Where are the data files kept?
  • Who controls the information?
  • Who has accessed it, and who has not logged in?

Lawsuits and compliance are the third issues

I have the opportunity to assist numerous organizations in maintaining compliance to avoid rules, penalties, and legal action. If insurance and auditors (vendors, the government, compliance boards) ask you a question, please respond as follows:

  • Is all of your IT department’s data under its control?
  • “Is your data safeguarded with 2-factor authentication?” and “Is your data archived for the last seven years?”
  • Can you lock them out when a hacker or hostile employee tries to access your data?
  • Do you keep track of who has accessed what data in a log?

I work with customers as a consultant to ensure that each of these questions can be answered emphatically in the affirmative. Otherwise, the risk of penalties and restrictions hangs over the company. Your firm must comply with all governmental requirements and be accountable for any independent actors within the corporation.


Fourth issue: Scalability

I recommend enterprises set up their solutions to collaborate given the fast-expanding IT Cloud services and products like Microsoft Azure and Office 365. Your firm can scale effectively with the amount of automation, intelligence, and workflows that can be built.

The many data points, for instance, can all contribute to a workflow that automates it or dumps it to a potent Business Intelligence tool, provided all your Data is contained within the Microsoft ecosystem (BI). Every month or so, many lucrative possibilities present themselves, and being able to seize them will give firms an advantage over their rivals.

Every business wants to expand, so you must scale effectively and intelligently to achieve that. It can be ineffective and unsafe to work with systems that are independent of what your IT department develops.

Remember that it’s not usually the employee’s fault when you uncover someone who has developed their own IT solution. These workers are frequently on the front lines and must improvise solutions to issues, which makes them more productive but also causes them to work alone. As a consultant, I advise keeping a close eye on your company and personnel so you can see issues early and come up with creative solutions together. The internal queries to make are:

  • Was the IT division paying attention?
  • Has the IT department made itself accessible to employees, either directly or through an internet forum where people can discuss their problems?
  • Does the CIO, IT Director, and IT Manager attend routine non-IT meetings to learn about what is happening in various departments and determine how IT can support the cause or identify issues that can be resolved by IT?

We work hard to deliver the best IT consulting services possible. One thing I always make clear when my team and I deal with customers and their staff is that my role is to be your consultant. Because every organization is unique, we work to help your team create personalized solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into your IT department.

Data loss, control, compliance problems, and ineffective scaling are all risks associated with rogue IT solutions. While most employees that develop new IT solutions do so with the best intentions, these solutions must be managed by the company rather than being independent. We work hard to deliver the best IT consulting services possible. Click here to learn more about our professional services if you’re interested.

 

Finally, I advise, “Keep Data off the streets; treat them like your kids and your business!”