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IT problems are as common as they are annoying for your business. With so much technology at our fingertips, it’s only natural to run into issues every so often.
Some of these issues arise regularly, putting a roadblock in the way of your daily productivity. It makes you question whether it’s worth building an in-house IT team.
Carry on reading to find out why you might consider this and how much it could cost to put a team together.
Why would you build an in-house IT team?
Isn’t it obvious? When IT problems rear their head, your team is on-site ready to deal with them. You don’t need to wait for someone to travel down to your office, simply give the IT team a shout and they’ll be there in seconds.
In theory, this means all IT issues can be handled a lot faster and more efficiently. You’ll minimise downtime and can get back to the swing of things before you know it.
How much does it cost to hire an in-house IT team?
This is where things get tricky. The first question to ask is this: how many members will form your team? Let’s start small and say you want a one-person team as your business is fairly small.
TotalJobs estimates that the average salary for IT support jobs is £32,500 in the UK right now. It also says IT support managers get closer to £40,000 a year. If you’re paying your staff a good wage – which you should be – you’re immediately spending anywhere between £30,000 and £40,000 on the salary alone.
Next, think about other costs of putting a team together – like providing a benefits program. Research suggests you’re setting aside up to £200 per month per employee. That’s another £2,400 and we haven’t even looked at the cost of providing their equipment or ensuring you have ample space in your office.
It can all add up, and you may spend well over £40,000 on one IT employee. Comparatively, if you were to use an IT support company, you’d have access to a whole team without needing to pay their wages or benefits. It would be far more cost-effective – but is this the right approach instead?
Should you build an in-house IT team?
It all comes down to personal preference – and your budget. Can you afford to put a team together on-site for your business? Better yet, do you think the benefits of doing this outweigh the costs? For many companies, outsourcing works out a lot cheaper and more beneficial, but it’s up to you to figure this out for your company.
Having an in-house team can be convenient and you may save time dealing with a lot of common IT problems. You could also get constant advice on how to optimise the IT systems; there’s lots to consider here! Just be aware of how much it costs to put a team together before you make your choice. In the end, it could be better for everyone if you outsourced.
