IT Untangled: What Do IT Managers Do?

We all know what doctors do, right? If you don’t feel well, you make an appointment, and they help you figure out what’s wrong. What an IT Manager does seems vague to business owners for two reasons. One, it’s a lot of behind the scenes work. And two, they don’t know how to measure performance, so the IT Manager keeps “doing what he does.”

Business owners come to us at VC3, Inc. all the time with questions related to IT department performance. They’re frustrated, their results don’t match role expectation – and they don’t exactly know what to do next.  We’ve fielded our fair share of questions around this topic. Without fail, one of the first is always – “So, what should my IT Manager be doing?”

Let’s explore how we answer this question: What do IT Managers do?

What is an IT Manager?

Let's start by defining the role in its simplest form.

The IT Manager is responsible for overseeing, planning, and coordinating all things technology-related at your company. Including, but not limited to: hardware, software, network, servers, installations, security, and maintenance.

Effective IT Managers must be masters at time management and delegation. They must maximize their time between things like security, technology, and daily issues.

Plus, IT Manager has to explain to the big bosses the "why," when things need to be purchased or fixed.

They’ll govern all new tech projects. Which includes the responsibility of presenting benefits, budget options, and the pros/cons of waiting to start projects.

Example: Your IT Manager would supervise workstation setup. They'll define the standard processes and plan for the necessary hardware and software requirements for all computers/devices.

Example: Your company’s business goals require IT infrastructure to be updated. Your IT Manager will compare your business's needs to the current state of your hardware and software. They would analyze what needs improvement and present options to the C-level.

Example: Your email won't sync company wide. Your IT Manager oversees the support process. Particularly in cases where IT resources are limited, they’re your liaison to the software company. They'll work to resolve the problem.

IT Managers in small and midsize businesses wear several hats. Being an IT Manager is a massive undertaking; teamwork and delegation are a huge part of making it work.

With technology’s advancements, it’s no longer possible for one person to adequately support more than about 50 employees – and even that’s a stretch. Delegating tasks to a qualified outsourced IT support company helps the IT Manager stay focused and deliver great results.

Note: For companies that outsource all their IT support needs, the IT company will have someone, or a team of people, handling the IT Manager role.

What Does the IT Manager, Manage Daily?

A day in the life of an IT Manager varies day-to-day. But one task that your IT Manager should be tracking daily is security. Security is a job all its own, as it includes every single company device, not just desktops and servers.

Below is a quick list of what your IT Manager is doing for security daily:

• Desktop/Laptop/iPhone/iPad/Android Patch Management
• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
• Web Security Detection
• Web Filtering
• Email Security
• Spam Software
• Firewall Management

Post security check, proactive maintenance is up next. Your IT Manager will verify maintenance is being done on IT equipment (servers, workstations, firewall, backups, email system, etc.).

Maintenance should be pre-scheduled, but sometimes it’s an emergency. The point is to identify any serious issues and address them before they affect productivity. Compliance could also be a daily task. Your IT Manager needs to be sure that the organization is running with industry standards.

There is also an administrative side to IT management. This Includes but is not limited to budgets, updating C-levels, and project management oversight. Tasks of this nature usually have daily needs and should be to be kept up with.

These things SHOULD be done daily. Here’s the reality in a lot of small and midsize companies:

The Challenge: IT Managers are stretched too thin.

The Results: They end up spending their time in one area -- end-user support.

The Consequence: Executives don't see progress being made. Initiatives can't move forward when the IT Manager's time is being hoarded by reactive support, leaving no time for proactive work or future planning.

This, unfortunately, becomes a hamster wheel. The IT Manager and executives alike don’t get the support or the results they are looking for.

How to Evaluate Your IT Manager

IT Managers looks at the big picture of your company's technology. They are responsible for the IT department and how it runs. Because of this, they should collaborate with the different departments daily. Together, they identify areas for improvement and issues in regards to IT. They also analyze any patterns and statistics to assist in determining issues before they are likely to occur.

All that said, how do you evaluate them?

Here is a quick list of highlights to consider when evaluating your IT Manager’s performance:

1. Are there any major reoccurring IT issues that are not being addressed?
2. Are IT projects being met and completed to your satisfaction?
3. Is the response time to address IT issues meeting your expectations?
4. Is the company's disaster recovery plan tested regularly?
5. Is the IT Manager communicating IT changes that affect the company and following procedures that you agreed on?
6. Is the IT Manager being proactive and presenting suggestions on how to improve your company’s IT performance?
7. Do they add to your company’s overall team environment?
8. This list highlights perception and expectations, but there are hard numbers too. Check out these 7 KPI's executives should use to evaluate their IT department’s performance .

As you can see IT Managers really have a lot on their plates. They also bring a lot of knowledge and know how to your company. This is a team effort. Allowing your IT Manager to do their job well is on you as much as it’s on them. Invite them to help make technology decisions. This will positively impact your business's overall ecosystem. Consider them a part of your team and dynamic. Then step back and watch how much better your company functions as a whole.

IT Untangled

IT can be complicated. We're here to help "untangle" it for you.

IT Untangled aims to provide clarity on IT topics for business people. This weekly blog series will explain and discuss the complex world of IT, in words you understand. 

Related: IT Untangled: What is Hybrid IT?