Blaming IT for every tech hiccup is practically an office tradition – but what if the real culprit is a mix of confusing tools, unclear roles and digital panic?
IT support teams, whether outsourced or in-house, are often the first line of defence for a business and, unfortunately, the first to take the blame when something goes wrong. Late project delivery? “IT’s fault.” A productivity dip? “Must be the system.”
But while tech glitches do happen, studies suggest that most of the time, the real cause of workplace tech issues is far more nuanced and often, quite fixable. In fact, a survey from Nexthink found that over 64% of employees blamed IT for performance slowdowns, yet nearly 45% of those issues were traced back to user behaviour or lack of training.
Why IT Teams Take the Fall
There are a few reasons why IT ends up taking the flak. One is perception – tech issues feel complicated, so employees naturally assume it’s beyond their scope and immediately escalate. Another is time pressure. If someone’s on a tight deadline, they’re not going to investigate a frozen screen; they just want it fixed. And finally, there’s technology anxiety. Many people are genuinely afraid of doing more damage, so they hit the panic button at the first sign of trouble. All of these responses are understandable. But they also point to a bigger issue: a gap in digital confidence and clarity around who’s responsible for what.
The Wrong Tools Create the Wrong Problems
One of the biggest frustrations users face is trying to do a job with the wrong tool. If an employee is trying to create a dynamic report with software that isn’t built for that level of complexity, the outcome isn’t just inefficiency, it’s a sense that “IT let me down.” The real issue? A misalignment between tasks and tech. Ensuring people have access to the right systems is a shared responsibility between IT, procurement and management. But it also requires regular check-ins: are the tools still fit for purpose? Are employees trained on how to get the most out of them? If not, the friction will keep building.
Whose Job Is It Anyway?
Another reason blame lands on IT is confusion about accountability. Is it the manager’s call to adjust permissions? Can an individual change their workflow tool? Should that request go through IT, or is it an operational issue? A lack of clarity creates bottlenecks, frustration and misdirected support tickets. It’s crucial to outline what IT is responsible for – and what they aren’t. Otherwise, they become the default for every decision, even when it’s a matter of policy, process, or preference.
Digital Skills Are the New Basic Training
A 2024 CompTIA study found that only 39% of employees feel “very confident” using the core workplace technology at their disposal. Someone might be brilliant at editing videos on their phone but feel completely lost when faced with an unfamiliar CRM system or cloud-sharing protocol. Basic IT training, offered regularly and without judgement, can transform the user experience. It builds independence and confidence. It reduces unnecessary support requests. And it frees IT to work on real innovations – not resetting passwords and explaining file paths for the fiftieth time.
Why This Matters for IT (and Your Budget)
Of course, IT teams are there to help. But when they’re buried under avoidable requests or questions that could be resolved with training or better communication, they’re unable to focus on strategic work. If you’re outsourcing, those “simple” calls come at a real financial cost. And internally, they sap the bandwidth of a team that should be driving long-term improvements. Creating a more tech-literate, tool-savvy culture doesn’t replace IT – it empowers it. It’s about collaboration, not dependence.
Be the first to comment