Mixed Bag Of Optimization Efforts

Most business-technology executives agree that the right tech initiatives coupled with changes in management policies constitute the best strategy to decrease business expenses, grow revenue, and increase productivity. Yet there's no silver bullet for achieving workplace efficiency. So what's being done?

Initiatives are focused on expanding internal and external operations, according to 300 companies in an InformationWeek Research survey on business optimization.

About 70% of the companies are updating technology standards and centralizing control of IT operations to optimize tech investments. Rewriting existing applications, either to improve performance or enhance the user interface, also is popular. Increasingly, companies are leasing instead of buying IT equipment.

Nearly three-fourths of the sites have formed cross-functional teams to encourage idea and information sharing. Another strategy is use of collaboration software. Businesses also are developing closer ties with tech vendors to improve services and products. However, more than half the sites are thinning the number of vendors they work with to align with only the most responsive and worthwhile.

Half the sites offer incentives to managers for productivity increases, compared with two in five for IT staff. Managers are implementing business and tech improvements to eliminate unnecessary positions and are seeking ways to cut staff by increasing use of automated processes.

What are you doing to remain valuable to your employer?

Helen D'Antoni
Senior Editor, Research
[email protected]

Workforce Efficiency

What steps is your company taking to optimize its IT workforce?

A wide range of tactics is used to improve the efficiency of the IT workforce. Training workers and hiring specialists are common practices at businesses seeking to boost particular technical and industry knowledge, according to sites surveyed by InformationWeek Research. Companies also are outsourcing to make specific tech skills available across their organizations.