The IT Department Is Dead. Long Live the IT Department | Marcus Wohlsen

Libin says there’s an even better way to keep employees happy: Give them the freedom to use the software they actually like. This, of course, flies in the face of the stereotypical IT department, which take a top-down approach that tends to forbid any unapproved gadget or app. Their knee-jerk response to any request is likely to be “no.” Libin wants to get them to “yes.”

That’s Paul Libin, Evernote’s CEO. And of course he’s all in favor of modifying the traditional functions of IT Departments. The more people use their preferred apps (*cough* Evernote?), the better. BYO App, anyone?

Nevertheless, I totally agree with this idea:

Instead of focusing on cutting costs and keeping their servers and networks secure, they argue, IT departments will act more as curators, providing tools that will make their workers happier, which translates to more productivity.

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