The following is a brief introduction to the topic:

The world tries to teach you something at times.

Ignoring the signs of a problem can be dangerous.

This article will focus on the less-known concept of “shadow IT.”

Shadow IT can be described as when employees install and manage hardware and software on their own without consulting the IT team. But shadow IT goes much deeper than that.

Are you trying to say something about the way your team manages their IT? Find out.

What is Shadow IT?

Ever thought that something could be done better? This is the underlying concept of shadow IT. It’s an odd concept, but it’s built on the principle of “the path of least resistence”.

Shadow IT is when employees take IT into their own hands and install or manage their IT solutions.

Imagine a team that is only equipped with email from the company for which they work. This would be an example of Shadow IT. The emails are asynchronous and can take a while to be read. This team uses an app such as Microsoft Teams to solve problems more quickly and chat with each other. They do this without the IT support team knowing. So, while technically improving a process, they are not doing so through official channels. Shadow IT is exactly what it sounds like.

Is it good or bad for a company?

What are the benefits of shadow IT?

Shadow IT may appear to be a negative concept at first glance. It may seem that inexperienced users running systems without the coordination of a central IT team is a recipe for disaster. And sometimes, it can be.

Shadow IT may bring benefits to your business, even if it’s a blessing in disguise.

Helps IT support teams better understand their users. Sometimes, IT teams become isolated and lose contact with their larger employee base. Shadow IT allows IT to help couples understand what users want (and why).

It drives innovation. Shadow IT can also show ways to do things that a manager or business owner may have never thought of before.

This can reveal IT security flaws. Employees may be used to emailing documents home so they can easily access them. An IT support team can implement a safe way to work remotely in this situation (like Microsoft OneDrive) rather than relying on insecure data sharing.

What are the negative aspects of shadow IT?

Shadow IT has its benefits, especially in shedding light on the areas where IT support teams can make improvements. However, it also has many drawbacks.

Even if shadow IT has some benefits, it shouldn’t encouraged.

It is a waste of human resources. It wastes human resources.

Shadow IT is a nightmare for IT teams. Software and hardware are deployed in a way that is (probably) not compliant with cyber security and industry best practices. This is a serious threat to the business as well as every user.

There is no consistency. Siloed teams, when setting up their systems without the support of a central IT department or person, will do it ‘their way.’ Any security and compliance policies in place may be ignored. This could expose your systems to malware.

IT support staff will not have full visibility. A successful IT support team must be able to oversee all aspects of IT for the company. All of these things are part of the IT support team’s remit, including hardware, software, and user configuration. IT will not be able to see what users are doing, so if there is a problem, they might not know about it.

It can damage company morale. It can cause unrest and low morale when the IT team feels that another person is performing their work or their decisions are not trusted. This could be another reason to choose a group of outsourced IT professionals.

Do not rely on Shadow IT. Speak to IT Support Experts

Shadow IT is not always bad, but it can be a sign that your IT team needs to change its tactics. It could also indicate that you require more IT support in general.

We invite you to look at our IT support contracts, which are designed to meet your specific needs – without any shadow IT tactics.