Teamwork Is Key To Tech ImprovementsTeamwork Is Key To Tech Improvements

"No legacy is so rich as honesty," to quote William Shakespeare. And while executives generally are satisfied with IT departments and their ability to respond quickly to business demands and changing conditions, managers are frank about modifications needed to improve IT's status across their companies. Interestingly, not all are technology-related.

In a recent survey of 300 business-technology executives by Optimize, an information publication, the majority say IT workers must step up efforts to improve performance and their internal reputation. Four in five executives say IT must collaborate more closely with other departments, while 72% recommend better teamwork.

Almost half of executives say incentive-based compensation is necessary to encourage IT excellence in working with internal customers. Yet half say that the quality of IT workers must improve before IT operations can achieve higher standing inside their companies.

Some executives say managerial, not staffing, changes are in order. One in five of the business-technology managers surveyed say a change in senior IT management is needed, compared with 17% who say change should apply to senior corporate management. Almost one quarter say IT would perform better under the supervision of business management.

Nearly two-thirds of executives say improvements to IT infrastructure are overdue. Yet 59% contend that more investment in IT is necessary if IT's performance and reputation within company ranks are to improve. More than half of managers drilled down further, saying that software quality and help-desk or customer-support improvements would enhance IT operations internally.

What one change would you like to see your IT team make to improve its performance? Let us know at the address below.

Helen D'Antoni
Research Manager
[email protected]