Prior to the transition, IT was organized into several small, self-contained teams, including a network engineer, two IT ops staffers, a help desk manager, and single cybersecurity and information assurance professionals stretched across multiple groups. While each team could operate independently, the structure created silos, Snuffer says. “Teams didn’t have to collaborate to achieve their goals, which led to different practices and priorities,” he says. “It also made it difficult to backfill employees who were on vacation or sick since each team worked differently.”

The reorganization created greater depth within each domain, Snuffer says. “Our networking team, for example, now has five people, ranging from an architect with seven to ten years of experience to junior administrators with one to two years. This structure naturally enables mentoring within each group while encouraging collaboration across functions,” he explains.

A revamped physical layout reinforces team cooperation. “Our IT department, for instance, shares an open space with cubes, a conference room, and whiteboards on the walls,” he says. “Collaboration happens both formally and organically.”