When One IT Guy Isn’t Enough
From system maintenance and security, computing devices, internet circuits, WLAN, and LAN equipment, operating system updates, to Microsoft Windows patches, antivirus, malware, and security updates a senior living facility IT guy’s to-do list is never-ending. But, what do you do when your IT workload has truly exceeded your IT staff of one? Being in this situation is actually a good one—it means your business is growing. But, with growth comes growing pains. Finding a solution that scales with your business will be the key to your success. There are a few options to consider when growing your IT team.
#1 Hire Another Full-Time Team Member
Bringing another full-time IT person onboard may be the right choice if they will be able to help maintain the current workload. You’ll need to consider what needs your organization has and weigh them against what your budget can afford. You’ll also need to decide whether to hire an IT generalist or an IT specialist depending on your business’s needs. This means that you will have to have a general understanding of your IT needs and how to differentiate between the candidate who has talent and the candidate who has experience and how those differences will impact your decision.
#2 Hire Freelancers
If you have a few specialized tasks you need intermittent help with, you might consider hiring a freelancer. Freelancers are independent contractors or consultants that you only pay when you need a specific task or job completed. Freelancers can be hired for long or short-term projects. This can dramatically reduce costs compared to bringing on another full-time employee because even though you may have to pay an IT freelancer a higher hourly rate, you don’t have to worry about overhead costs such as employee benefits, training, and overtime expenses.
#3 Managed IT Services
The third option is to go with a remotely-managed IT service that specializes in senior care. In a way, you get the best of both worlds. You get the commitment and reliability of a full-time employee and the flexibility and breadth of skills and experience of the freelancer. If you choose to go with a managed IT service, you will have access to a robust IT support team whenever you need it at a reasonable cost. You won’t have to spend time worrying about patient privacy or if your firewalls are up-to-date. Rather you can spend that time focusing on providing the best care to your senior residents if you know your tech is being tended to.
