Evolving IT Teams: Keeping Up with the Changing Tech Landscape – Key Takeaways from Hexnode Live

Greetings, and welcome back to Hexnode Deep Dive, your one-stop shop where we uncover the intricacies and obstacles that pepper today's modern workplace. During our recent Hexnode Live online panel discussion, three pioneers in the realm of IT, Elizabeth Wu, Esther Deutsch, and Phillip Bidinoff, delved into latest trends and strategies for IT teams navigating the ever-evolving tech and business landscape. Here are the key takeaways from their discussion.?

Plato’s old adage, "Necessity is the mother of invention" finds a fitting example in the COVID-19 pandemic, as it accelerated technological innovation and adoption across various industries and demographics. ?

Prior to the pandemic, when employees primarily worked in traditional office settings, IT admins focused on securing dedicated network connections between these locations. However, over the last 4-5 years, the security landscape has transformed with the adoption of a hybrid work culture and the proliferation of various devices like smartphones, tablets, IoT devices, VR, and rugged devices. While these advancements have opened new possibilities and fostered a more dynamic and flexible work environment, they have also brought new challenges for IT admins.?

The Growing Complexity of IT Management?

As organizations grow increasingly complex and integrate new endpoints, applications, and infrastructures, the responsibilities of IT admins, leaders, and stakeholders expand significantly.?Their key priorities now include ensuring uptime and availability, preventing data breaches, maintaining data integrity and privacy, and ensuring compliance with regulations. This also necessitates them requiring a diverse skill set that encompasses development, cybersecurity, field engineering, and communication. Moreover, legacy systems, disparate integrations, and the influx of new technologies, coupled with the constant need for updates and patches, further complicate these challenges. ? ? ? ? ?

Take for instance, Windows's recent announcement regarding their OS update. With Windows, which holds over 68% of the market share, Windows 10 reaching its end of support, and strict hardware requirements for Windows 11, millions of users are unsure what to do. As the deadline of October 2025 approaches, CISOs are in a dilemma as to whether to invest in new hardware or face the security risks of using an outdated operating system.?

Furthermore, despite the growing emphasis on digital transformation, many businesses are falling short of their goals. A recent study found that 81% of boards have made limited progress or failed to achieve their digital goals. These underwhelming results leave many admins struggling to justify technology investments, even as more demands for technology increase across the business. ??

Bridging the Gap Between IT and Business?

This convergence of roles has created a universal language in IT, where the need for greater communication and improved understanding between IT admins and the leadership team has become paramount for success. There is a growing need for IT administrators to enhance their non-technical skills, develop business acumen, and serve as an authoritative voice on the organization's strategy, especially about technology and its digital transformation goals. By providing them with the necessary resources and support, organizations can maximize the value of their technology investments.?

Once the objective of clear communication between IT admins and stakeholders is established, the next step is to secure the IT landscape. Businesses prioritizing cybersecurity and actively listening to their security teams are more likely to thrive in the long run. Therefore, investing in robust security measures is no longer an option but a necessity.?

Implementing endpoint management solutions like UEMs (Unified Endpoint Management) provides IT admins with the necessary visibility into an organization's device inventory. It offers a centralized platform for enrolling a multitude of devices, managing them, deploying policies and patches, and, most importantly, securing data from malicious actors.?

With the growing adoption of the 'work from anywhere' model, UEM features such as remote view and remote control empower administrators to effortlessly manage devices no matter where they are located. Moreover, policies like BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and COPE (Company Owned Personally Enabled) ensure that both personal and company-issued devices remain secure.?

Once an organization has laid the groundwork with essential cybersecurity practices like managing IT device inventory and controlling user access, it can explore the potential of integrating AI. However, while the allure of AI is undeniable, time and time again, most of the breaches occur due to hastily adopting these technologies without?first building a solid?proper foundation. ?

The bottom line is that IT is the backbone of modern organizations and supporting IT teams should go beyond the budget. Thus,?investing in good cybersecurity solutions should never be an afterthought. A well-resourced and empowered IT team is not just a support function but a strong suit that drives resilience, and long-term success.?

Want to learn more about keeping up with the changing tech landscape, watch the full video here.?

Stay tuned for more insights and expertise in the upcoming editions of Hexnode Deep Dive.???

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