The Hidden Cost of DIY IT: Why Manual Management Is Draining Time and Money

This article was contributed by Electric(opens in a new tab), a trusted partner of Justworks.

Manual IT management isn’t just tedious, it’s expensive. Repetitive processes and inefficient workarounds can drain productivity, increase risk, and create operational problems that impact your bottom line. 

From the opportunity cost of lost time to the financial implications of security gaps, we spoke to IT experts to evaluate the hidden impacts of “DIY IT”. 

The Time Cost of Manual IT

Time is a finite resource that small businesses can’t afford to waste. Manual IT management adds unnecessary distractions to team workloads, particularly for HR and Ops.

Device Procurement

Ordering devices on a case-by-case basis is a common but inefficient approach taken by many small businesses. Researching models, comparing vendors, and tracking orders can take up to 2 hours per device. 

App Provisioning

Without automation, multiple accounts and user permissions must be manually set up for each new hire. From toggling between tools to troubleshooting logins, app provisioning can take up to 3 hours per employee, multiplied by every tool in your stack.

Onboarding

Device provisioning and app setup are just the beginning. Manual onboarding also involves extensive paperwork, compliance considerations, and various administrative tasks, all of which can amount to more than 4 hours per employee. 

Offboarding

Offboarding is one of the most overlooked productivity drains for HR teams, particularly when it involves a time-sensitive departure. Revoking access, transferring file ownership, and disabling accounts can take up to 8 hours of work per employee. 

Device Retrieval

HR teams may also be left to coordinate hardware returns at the end of the employee lifecycle. In remote and hybrid environments, this becomes even more time consuming. Organizing couriers, shipping labels, and secure warehousing demands hours of your teams’ time per device.

“Routine tasks like provisioning devices, updating spreadsheets, and managing user accounts can consume 10 to 20 hours of your week(opens in a new tab). That’s nearly half of a full workweek spent on repetitive tasks instead of strategic projects. These hours add up quickly, pulling you away from activities that drive real value for your organization.” — Greg Pellegrino, VP of Engineering at Electric

The Financial Risks of Manual IT 

Manual IT doesn’t just cost your team valuable time, the associated security and compliance risks can lead to very real financial consequences. 

Security Gaps

A single unsecured device, outdated system, or forgotten admin account from an ex-employee can create an entry point for attackers. For small businesses, manual IT management drastically increases the risk of these security gaps. The average cost of a breach often reaches tens of thousands of dollars, not including downtime or reputational damage.

Compliance Issues

Incomplete data, inconsistent user permissions, and untracked devices make it difficult to meet compliance standards. Aside from the security risks, violations can lead to fines, legal exposure, and prolonged investigations, all of which are easily avoided with standardized, automated workflows.

Downtime & Lost Productivity

When employees wait hours (or days) for app access, software updates, or device troubleshooting, productivity suffers. Every minor delay and manual workaround adds up: on average, employees spend nearly three hours per week dealing with tech issues, amounting to approximately $4,072 per year in wasted labor costs per employee(opens in a new tab).

Cost Effective Alternatives to Manual IT

Traditionally, small businesses had two options when it came to IT management: do everything manually or outsource to an MSP.

DIY IT management can seem like the most cost effective option in the early days of growing a business. Ad hoc processes and shared technical responsibilities become the norm. But as operations scale, inefficiencies begin to impact productivity. 

At this point, many turn to a Managed Service Provider. As a fully outsourced service, MSPs offer expertise, oversight, and structure. However, rigid SLAs, high costs, and a lack of flexibility can be a barrier for smaller organizations. 

Today, self-managed IT platforms are growing in popularity as a more cost effective alternative, offering streamlined processes without the overhead of internal or outsourced IT expertise. 

Justworks Integrates with Electric for Seamless IT Management

IT management platforms like Electric can save 10 to 20 hours of manual IT work every week through:

• Automated onboarding and offboarding workflows

• Standardized, role-based app provisioning

• Secure, centralized device management

• Seamless hardware procurement, retrieval, and warehousing

• Robust, user-friendly cybersecurity 

Justworks offers seamless integration with Electric to simplify IT onboarding and offboarding tasks within your existing HR workflows. If you're ready to win back hours in your week, connect with us today to see how Justworks + Electric can transform your IT operations.