A salary of $65,000 might look more like $85,000 when all is said and done. Estimates for hiring overhead range from 20 to 30 percent of a new hires base salary.

According to CNN Money, “While that depends on benefits — and several layers of taxes — it typically ends up being 18% to 26% more than a worker’s base salary. It can be even higher for larger companies. The extra costs are often cited by business owners as the biggest deterrent to hiring. Better sales might justify adding another $70,000 salary to the payroll, but in reality, that extra employee will probably cost closer to $88,000.”

But an apples-to-apples comparison of hiring full time or outsourcing to a managed service provider is for another blog on another day.

Today, we’re focusing on the second way using the cloud and outsourcing IT services can save your organization money: Increased team and operational efficiency.
Time is still money, no matter your industry. Here are 4 ways the cloud and partnering with a managed IT services provider can improve your bottom line by improving efficiency:

1. No more “break and fix” mode. Outsourcing your entire IT management or augmenting your existing IT in-house team with outside experts enables your internal team to focus more on big picture strategy rather than being reactive. You want your IT staff-who knows your business best-empowered to focus on your overall IT strategy and guiding your organization toward the future. When they are constantly reacting to IT issues strategy gets put aside and ignored. An external IT partner can take this off your internal team’s plate and free them from these mundane but important tasks.
2. Removing the albatross of monitoring and patching. Monitoring your network, identifying risks and patching require constant attention, and an MSP can remove this burden from your IT staff. With 24/7/365 monitoring capabilities, and deeper more comprehensive expertise, an MSP can reduce downtime risks and create space for your IT staff member(s) to focus on major projects and initiatives without distraction.
3. Increasing accessibility. Moving data storage to the cloud improves remote access to data and large files, improving the productivity and efficiency of your entire team when they’re at home, at conferences or on the road. It’s absolutely essential for your team to be able to access any document from anywhere on any device at any time. Moving your data to the cloud creates a more efficient work environment, and a skilled managed services provider can help you secure and maintain it properly.
4. Breaking down information silos. Moving your data to the cloud is the cure for information silos. Though increased accessibility, and improved information sharing capability, production will increase. Gone are the days when a single staff member or department “owns” critical information that can’t be accessed when they’re not available. This includes your IT lead. Partnering with an IT managed service provider means that your network can run and be repaired even if this person is on vacation or is out sick. The cloud enables information sharing. Your MSP is a team that ensures network continuity.

Every business is unique and requires a tailored approach to IT management. The best MSPs offer customized cloud solutions and managed services agreements that enable additional efficiencies and savings. An effective IT partner will help your organization adopt a cloud solution and service agreement that makes sense for your situation, eliminating wasted investment while enhancing overall performance.

The bottom line: Adopting cloud technology and partnering with an experienced IT managed services provider reduces operational costs and saves money by empowering your team share information better while focusing on doing what they do best.