Company background:
DevSoft Solutions is a mid-sized software company based in Austin, Texas, employing around 150 people. They specialize in developing custom software solutions for clients across different industries. They use over 30 software tools, including SaaS platforms like Microsoft 365 and on-premises software for specific project management and development needs.
The promotion scenario:
A senior consultant, John, has been promoted to a new role as a Team Lead. His responsibilities have expanded, and with the promotion, John requires new levels of access to different tools, additional permissions, and new software installations. However, DevSoft Solutions lacks an efficient User Lifecycle Management (ULM) system, resulting in several challenges that impact John’s transition into his new role.
Current promotion process (Without ULM):
Week 1: HR updates and IT intervention
- HR perspective:
HR updates John’s new position in their HR management system. HR sends a manual request to IT with information about John’s new role, asking them to make the necessary changes. HR assumes the process is complete after notifying IT.
- IT admin perspective:
The IT team, consisting of just two system administrators, receives HR’s request but has several critical tasks on their to-do list, including ongoing support tickets, system maintenance, and other user onboarding requests. Manually updating John’s access becomes just one more item in their already overwhelming queue. Here’s how the promotion process unfolds:
Reviewing permissions:
The IT admin starts by reviewing John’s existing permissions and identifying what needs to be updated. This involves going through multiple systems such as Microsoft 365, project management tools, and internal databases.
- Account and access update in Microsoft 365:
The IT admin manually updates John’s access in Microsoft 365 Business Standard, assigning him to additional Microsoft Teams groups, updating his access permissions to SharePoint sites, and configuring new email groups and shared mailboxes for his new responsibilities. This manual effort takes time, and conflicting priorities delay the process.
- Software installation and permissions:
John now needs access to certain specialized tools that are only provided to Team Leads. The IT admin needs approval from John’s new manager to provide access to these tools. An email is sent to the manager, and it takes two days for a response due to other priorities.
- Manual Group Membership changes:
The IT admin manually adds John to leadership-specific groups, giving him access to new project folders and company resources. Without automation, each system requires separate actions, further delaying the process.
- Conflicting priorities:
As IT is also dealing with daily support tasks, such as resolving urgent issues and troubleshooting system problems, John’s promotion-related updates get delayed. It takes almost a full week before John has all the permissions and software he needs.
Week 2: John’s struggle with incomplete access
- John’s experience:
John, now a Team Lead, cannot fully perform his new duties. He is missing access to critical project folders, leadership meetings, and specific dashboards that his new role requires. This results in delays in making decisions and hampers his ability to lead the team effectively.
- Negative impacts:
John spends his time reaching out to IT and HR, trying to expedite the access updates. His team members also feel the impact as they lack direction, and projects are delayed. John starts to feel frustrated and undervalued, questioning whether the company truly supports his growth.
The financial impact:
- John’s monthly salary is $8,000, but due to access-related delays, he is only 50% productive in his new role during the first two weeks.
- This results in a $2,000 loss in productivity in just two weeks, not accounting for the indirect costs of delayed projects and impacted team morale.
The Owner’s perspective
- Lost opportunities:
The CEO of DevSoft Solutions, Mike, realizes the hidden costs of these delays. While John has been promoted to drive new projects, his limited access and inability to fully perform in his role are causing significant setbacks in project timelines and overall team productivity.
- False economy:
To save on software licensing costs, the company did not upgrade to Microsoft 365 Business Premium, which includes automation tools like Microsoft Entra for managing identity and permissions. This decision has resulted in delays and productivity loss worth far more than the potential cost savings.
System administrator’s struggle:
- The IT team is often stretched thin, handling break-fix issues, supporting day-to-day technical problems, and managing user onboarding. Updating permissions for promoted employees is treated as a lower-priority task, leading to delays.
- Manual intervention is inefficient and prone to mistakes, causing a ripple effect where employees like John are unable to transition smoothly.
What went wrong?
- Fragmented responsibilities:
HR, IT, and management all work in silos. HR believes their job is done once the promotion is documented, IT is overwhelmed, and the business owner doesn’t fully understand the bottlenecks in transitioning roles.
- Lack of automation:
Account updates, group membership changes, and software provisioning are all performed manually. This leads to mistakes, inconsistencies, and significant delays in enabling John to start effectively contributing in his new role.
- False economy:
In an effort to cut costs, DevSoft Solutions did not upgrade to a more comprehensive solution that could have automated much of this process. The cost of lost productivity, project delays, and reduced employee morale far outweighed any savings from avoiding the upgrade.
The solution: ULM with Medha Cloud
How ULM transforms promotions:
Expert guidance and consultation:
Medha Cloud’s IT consulting services can guide DevSoft Solutions in streamlining role transitions through proper User Lifecycle Management (ULM). By implementing an effective ULM strategy, HR’s update to John’s role would automatically trigger the necessary changes, such as updating permissions, assigning new group memberships, and installing required software—all with minimal manual intervention.
Integrated tools for efficiency:
Medha Cloud advises upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium, which includes Microsoft Entra for managing identity and access, Intune for device configuration, and Defender for security. By leveraging these tools, DevSoft Solutions could ensure that promoted employees like John receive updated access quickly and securely.
Immediate access and empowerment:
With Medha Cloud’s guidance, DevSoft Solutions can implement an automated ULM system that ensures John has access to everything he needs for his new role from day one. The new permissions, group memberships, and software installations are all taken care of automatically, allowing John to focus on leading his team without interruption.
Business outcome:
- Financial savings:
By avoiding delays, the company prevents the $2,000 loss in productivity during John’s transition. Additionally, seamless transitions minimize disruptions to ongoing projects.
- Employee satisfaction:
John feels valued and supported in his new role. He can focus on leadership responsibilities rather than dealing with access issues, which improves his morale and job satisfaction.
- Operational efficiency:
The IT team is freed from manually managing role changes and can focus on higher-value activities, reducing burnout and increasing overall efficiency.
Final thoughts: The real cost of inefficiency
For DevSoft Solutions, failing to streamline the promotion process has resulted in lost productivity, decreased employee morale, and delayed project timelines.
Medha Cloud can help businesses like DevSoft Solutions make smart investments, ensuring every promoted employee starts contributing effectively without delays. Investing in proper ULM solutions is not just about saving money—it’s about empowering your team to succeed and optimizing operations to drive growth.
Medha Cloud offers tailored IT consulting services to help organizations understand where to invest, how to implement effective ULM strategies, and ultimately, how to make transitions like promotions as seamless as possible. Saving is important, but investing where it matters most is crucial for growth and success.
>>> Learn more about how effective User Lifecycle Management can transform your business. Visit our complete ULM guide here <<<
Struggling with onboarding delays? Consult Medha Cloud for a seamless User Lifecycle Management implementation. We provide the best possible solutions at the lowest cost with a quick turnaround
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