Does Your Small Business Need an IT Department?

If you own, manage or are part of a small business, you may find yourself wondering if you need a designated IT employee or an IT department. It is not a question of whether IT concerns will arise but a matter of when, how often, and how problematic they will be. We've all been there and experienced technological nuisance at the most inopportune moment! A program won't load moments before you have a presentation to give, or your computer is lagging on a day when your to-do list is a mile long.

Read: 7 Cybersecurity Tips to Keep Your Business Safe From Fraud

Does Your Small Business Need an Internal IT Department?

Several factors must be considered when determining if your small business needs an IT Department. Let's dive into the main considerations:

Size of business:

The number of employees you have will play a role in your business's need for IT support. Adding full-time IT personnel to the team may not make sense if you have just a few staff members. If your business is expanding and you have 30-50 employees, there may be more need and justification.

Dependency on technology:

If your small business heavily relies on technology, especially if there are several integrated platforms, this can impact your need for IT support. 

Budget vs ROI:

Consider if you have enough IT work to keep an IT department busy and effective.  Does your business have a seasonality component that may have peaks and valleys in technical needs?

Accidental IT person:

Is a valuable member of your team (maybe even you!) stuck working on IT? They have a job they were hired for. Is their IT work impacting their effectiveness in their main role? Do they have the technology skillset to keep your network efficient and secure?

Read: Small Businesses Are Ransomware Targets

For small businesses making the most of every minute is crucial for growth and continued success, so dealing with downtime caused by tech problems can be a significant hindrance. Furthermore, small businesses are often limited in resources and putting forth a salary for IT support is generally not feasible. An alternative that many small and mid-size companies will utilize is managed IT services from a managed service provider (MSP). A managed service provider will be able to quickly resolve tech issues when they occur and perform regular maintenance that minimizes downtime.