There’s a huge gap between available, trained IT technicians and the jobs they need to fill. CompTIA showed that over 200,000 IT jobs were left unfilled in late 2022.
As businesses grapple with a growing IT labor shortage, many are turning to IT managed service providers (MSPs) for support. MSPs can provide critical technical expertise and resources to help organizations weather the shortage and maintain operational efficiency. From providing additional staff to implementing automation tools, MSPs offer services that can help overcome the challenges of a shrinking—and increasingly expensive—workforce. In this article, we’ll explore seven key ways MSPs can help you navigate a labor shortage.
1. Additional Technical Resources
MSPs can provide additional technical resources to help fill any gaps in your IT capabilities. They can offer additional staff who can step in to support your organization during periods of increased demand.
2. Flexible Contracts
A tech MSP can provide flexible contracts that allow organizations to dial in their IT support as needed. This can be valuable during a tight labor market when businesses may not have the budget to hire full-time staff.
3. Automation Tools
Expert MSPs can help organizations implement automation tools to streamline IT processes and reduce the need for manual fixes. This can help stretch your existing IT resources further and minimize the impact of a labor shortage.
Proactive maintenance, for example, uses automated network monitoring tools to catch problems in your IT ecosystem before they seriously impact your business.
4. 24×7 Support
Some service providers offer 24×7 support to ensure your organization’s critical IT systems are always up and running. This can help during a labor shortage when there may not be enough staff to handle issues during off-hours.
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5. Remote Work and Cybersecurity Planning
MSPs can help organizations with the shift to remote work and ensure that cybersecurity measures are in place to protect the organization’s data. This can be especially important during a labor shortage when IT teams may be stretched thin and unable to fully support a remote workforce.
6. IT Assessments and Strategic Plans
If an MSP has strategic thinkers on their staff, they can help assess your organization’s IT infrastructure and develop strategic plans to optimize operations. This can help your organization reduce the workload on your existing IT staff—if you are retaining a team—and identify areas that need additional support.
Furthermore, managed service providers can also provide guidance on new technology investments, such as cloud services, that can improve operational efficiency and reduce IT workload. Going through your partner MSP is often much more efficient for implementing these large IT projects.
7. Access to Specialized Expertise
Finally, MSPs often have specialized expertise in areas such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, and tech budgeting that can be difficult for organizations to find in the current labor market. By working with an MSP, you can access this expertise without having to invest in additional staff or training. This can have real added value during periods of increased demand or when organizations need to tackle complex IT projects that require specialized skills.
If you’re worried about how to keep your IT operations running as it becomes harder to find trained techs, consider partnering with an MSP. Contact us today and let’s start a conversation to see if an MSP is best for your organization.
