When an IT team begins to slump, it can be a demoralizing, frustrating experience for CIOs and team leaders. A once vibrant workforce now appears to be stuck in a rut as its performance dwindles, innovation slumps, and morale crashes.
What can a CIO do to reinvigorate a collapsing IT operation? Katherine Hosie, an executive coach at Powerhouse Coaching, said the first step should be understanding the reason for the slump. “Is it burnout and fatigue, disappointment due to past failures or pivots, or are current goals too big, unachievable?” she asked.
Root Causes
Remote work often leads to a slumping IT organization, said Surinder Kahai, an associate professor at Binghamton University’s School of Management. “While remote work offers flexibility and reduces unproductive commuting time, it also reduces opportunities for social interaction and connection with colleagues and the organization,” he explained.
With remote work, there are fewer opportunities to collaborate on innovative projects, which can bring excitement and joy to a team, Kahai said. “Innovation often happens when you team up with someone quite different from yourself and get the opportunity to bring together diverse ideas and combine them creatively.”
Organization flattening — eliminating middle managers to cut costs, reduce red tape, and/or simplify organizational charts — has accelerated in recent years, forcing managers to make do with less, Kahai said. The remaining managers now have more people in their span of control, challenging them to devote the same amount of time to each subordinate as before. “This leads to less communication, recognition, and support from leaders, which results in lower worker engagement.”
Waking up a slumping IT organization requires leadership that invests in workers’ growth and makes them feel more valued, Kahai said. “It suggests leadership that makes IT workers excited about their work — leadership with a vision that provides meaning and purpose in what they do.”
As IT workers face uncertainty about their future, building a supportive environment where others understand their challenges and are willing to lend a hand when needed is also critical. “No employee is immune from work-related uncertainty and stress,” Kahai said. “Workers benefit from role models who persist in their efforts and show resilience despite uncertainty and stress in their lives.”
Getting Back on Track
As soon as a slump becomes evident, alert your team leaders, Hosie suggested. “Let them know you’ve observed a slump in their team and that your motive is to help them,” she advised. Sharing your motive will decrease anxiety and confusion.
The next step should be conducting a thorough tech audit, advised Steve Grant, AI search strategist and founder at Figment. “You’ll need to map where your workflow is sagging and flag any inefficiencies in the system that slow things down,” he said. “If your fixes are targeted and measurable, momentum will build quickly, because your teams will see progress in areas that have likely long frustrated them.”
The next logical step, Grant said, is to include the team in setting goals and choosing priorities. “These are the people using your system every day, so involving them directly builds a sense of ownership, turning vague instructions into common goals,” he stated. “This change will drive engagement and accountability and make employees more invested in outcomes.”
Team leaders and members typically prefer the solutions they develop themselves, Hosie said. “Work with your teams and help them find their own answers.” Yet this may take a lot of restraint, she warned. “Encourage their ideas, even if they aren’t perfect and then verify that their ideas are achievable.
Every solution must have a single, self-selected, owner, Hosie said. “People take action when they know they’re the directly responsible individual,” she noted. Roll this concept into future team meetings and one-on-ones. “It’s now on you to ensure they follow through.”
Parting Thoughts
An intelligent and supportive HR business partner can be a tremendous resource, Hosie said. “They’ve likely seen these challenges before and can share ideas and even facilitate possible solutions.” Never waste a crisis, she advised. “It’s always an opportunity to grow and become stronger as a team.”
Still, CIOs face a tough job — making sure that the trains run on time while also providing direction that’s well integrated with business strategy. “Both technical and business acumen are critical,” Kahai said.
The truly difficult part, Kahai said, is that CIOs are facing an uphill battle, persuading both senior executives and other decision-makers on hiring and workforce planning in a world where AI is increasingly viewed as a panacea to slumping performance and productivity.
