Urgent Need for Professional IT Support in a Shared Workspace

The Challenge of Managing IT in a New Shared Office

A few months back, my company, alongside several others under the wing of an investment firm, relocated to a newly remodeled office space. This transition is still a work in progress, as the renovations are not yet complete. Our company, a small startup with fewer than ten employees, was the first to move in, followed closely by teams from the investment firm itself. The other companies will follow suit in a few months as construction wraps up.

Upon our arrival, I naively engaged about the IT infrastructure, thinking I could contribute by helping set up some temporary network solutions. I volunteered to assist an engineer in purchasing and configuring four routers from a retail store to create a basic Wi-Fi network, ensuring connectivity during this interim phase. As a result, all employees, from both my company and the investment firm, are currently sharing this network — a setup that primarily consists of default settings with just a new network name and password.

The Rising Concern: Lack of IT Expertise

Recently, I learned that there are no plans in place to bring on a dedicated IT staff. I overheard some conversations among managers indicating that adjustments to the network — potentially including changes to passwords or configurations — may soon be expected from me. This puts me in a tough position since my background is in mechanical engineering, with only hobbyist-level knowledge of IT based on personal projects and informal interactions with tech professionals.

To complicate matters, the existing network infrastructure is vastly inadequate in terms of security, admin capabilities, and probably bandwidth. As the other companies move in and potentially engage in data-heavy activities, this situation could become unmanageable.

Making the Case for Professional IT Support

With this in mind, I recognize the necessity of advocating for professional IT support to ensure a secure and functional shared environment. However, I feel at a loss for how to approach this issue effectively. How can I articulate the need for specialized IT service to stakeholders who might not grasp the technical complexities involved?

It’s essential to highlight the possible risks tied to having multiple organizations relying on a single consumer-grade network. This includes security vulnerabilities, performance issues, and potential data privacy breaches — all critical points that could affect business operations across the board.

As someone whose core responsibilities fall outside IT management, I find myself spending valuable time researching basic networking concepts, which distracts me from my primary role. I aim to present a clear and compelling