Non-IT Roles That Need To Know Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing isn’t just for technical roles
As Cloud Computing becomes ever more widely adopted by businesses, it is important that employees develop a strong and in-depth understanding of how it works and how to best take advantage of cloud computing’s many benefits. While it is a no-brainer that developers and IT staff need to upskill themselves technically, it is also important for non-IT roles to at least have a basic level of familiarity with the concept of cloud computing.
Companies are investing a lot into training their technical staff and upskilling talent to overcome the knowledge gap and learning curve that cloud computing brings. However, business teams are often left behind. Here are a few business roles that I personally feel are overlooked but should learn about the cloud.
Human Resources
The Human Resources department plays crucial roles in recruitment, engagement, and most importantly, development. It is essential that HR departments are able to show employees the connection between the business goals of the company and how cloud computing can help achieve them.
It is also important for HR to understand cloud computing in-depth, so that they may design and implement a strong upskilling course for all employees in their various job functions.
HR needs to ensure that when new employees join, they are able to quickly get up to speed with the fundamentals of cloud computing, especially if it is a crucial component of the business’ offerings, or if the employee’s scope is influenced by cloud computing. In fact, the next three roles I will be including can and should be helped by a comprehensive training programme developed by HR.
Sales
Personally, I think this is most important for businesses where their products and services are built on and rely heavily on cloud computing. When sales personnel are familiar with the components that make up their offering, including the cloud services they are built on, it helps them develop credibility and rapport with potential leads.
Potential customers would be more likely to trust them and see the product as a potential purchase. Being able to speak technically, even just a bit, with customers can help convince them that you are able to be trusted and that the product offered is reliable and value-adding.
Finance
Cloud Computing introduces a more unique form of spending, shifting away from capital expenditures to operational expenditures. This change in approach requires different types of cost management, control and projection. The very flexible nature of billing in the cloud (reserved, on-demand, pay-as-you-go etc) means that there will be complications if finance teams do not adjust accordingly.
Cloud providers are equipped with many comprehensive tools and reporting systems to assist in Billing and Cost Management. Some of these include Total Cost of Ownership Calculators, Billing Reports, Cost Analysis, Cost Projection and Estimation, Cost Calculators and more.
It is important for finance teams to educate themselves on the pricing models of cloud computing, and to better understand how to utilize tools provided by their cloud service providers.
Compliance
Every organization and business has to comply with regulations in their country and industry. This includes common ones like HIPPA for healthcare businesses, or PCI DSS for data protection, privacy and security.
Cloud service providers frequently come with governance tools that help audit data and ensure that businesses utilizing them are compliant. This can include services which are audited regularly and kept compliant with the latest standards.
Cloud Computing can potentially open up a bunch of worries and concerns for Compliance teams, and rightly so. Hence, it is important that compliance teams understand the limitations and capabilities of the cloud in terms of regulations and standards. They must be able to adapt their auditing and risk management approaches so that they can fully enjoy the benefits of cloud computing.
Conclusion
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Personally, I believe that everyone should be sent for a cloud foundations course, and it is best if the course can be tailored to their specific job scope.
As cloud computing becomes more prevalent in businesses and even daily lives, it is increasingly more important to be cloud literate.
