IT staff concerned about cloud roll out
IT staff concerned about cloud roll out
There are concerns among IT staff that the roll out of cloud computing could affect job numbers in technology departments, according to an executive at a global energy management business.
Expro Group said there was resistance among the company’s IT departments because of fears that cloud applications could lead to redundancies because their work would no longer be required. The group’s CIO Martin Odgen said the issue arose when Expro decided to introduce a cloud-based human resources management application to standardise procedures across the business, which employs around 5,000 people in 50 countries worldwide.
The group has implemented the tool to ensure that staff across the business are all working to same standards. It allows executives to log on from any of the company’s offices to check on goals and objectives and adds transparency to the process, Mr Ogden said. It’s introduction has had little effect on the IT staff because the implementation was mainly handled by the Expro’s HR department.
The company’s satisfaction with the new system means that Expro is now considering cloud solutions when replacing technology or introducing new systems across the company.
Mr Ogden told Computer World: “Whether we will get to the point where absolutely everything will be in the cloud, we could probably debate that all day, but that’s the approach we are going for at the moment. [This] has actually scared ComputIT because they don’t know what it means for their job – so I’m actually getting resistance from within the IT departments.”
But he said that the cloud actually represented an opportunity for skilled members of the IT teams to carry out more useful work for the company. Rather than looking after back-up systems, IT staff can now focus on proactive tasks such as creating new solutions to issues within the company, said Mr Ogden.
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud, should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
