A recent series of interviews and surveys by Info-Tech Research Group of over 160 IT leaders focused on cost cutting strategies that IT departments adapt to cope with economic downturns. The following recommendations are based on steps IT leaders take to maintain or increase staff productivity.
Reasons for Loss in Productivity
As lean IT shops took deeper cuts or scaled back growth, more than three-fourths of the cost cutting research respondents reported that IT staff morale took a plunge. Those who see a decline in morale report the following as some of the reasons for the loss in productivity:
- Staffing cuts negatively impact morale and lead to burn out. In a majority of cases, staffing cuts mean existing employees have to take on more tasks without receiving the appropriate training.
- Project delays or cancellations also have a negative impact on morale. Working on mundane maintenance tasks or help desk tickets, instead of on originally planned IT projects, leads to a lack of motivation for IT staff. This, combined with fewer projects, leads to a decline in productivity.
- Staffing cuts lead to a loss of good or experienced talent. Many IT leaders recognize the importance of good IT staff and do what they can to hold on to them. As good IT staff leave or retire, so do best practices and their experiences. This slows down IT's productivity until someone with similar experience can be brought in and gets up to speed.