As a business leader, you’ve invested time, trust, and resources into building a capable internal IT team. They know your systems, understand your culture, and keep your business running every day. But as technology evolves and demands grow, even the strongest teams can become stretched too thin:
- Maybe strategic projects are stalling because of constant emergencies.
- Maybe your IT staff is working late nights just to keep up.
- Or maybe you’re simply running out of bandwidth to support the business as it grows.
When this happens, your options can feel limited–hiring additional staff is costly, but fully outsourcing IT might not fit your company’s culture. Fortunately, there’s another path forward: co-managed IT services.
| Key takeaways Empowers in-house staff: Co-managed IT is a collaborative model where an external provider works with your in-house team, handling specific tasks so your staff can focus on strategic initiatives.Fills critical gaps: Co-managed IT provides access to specialized expertise that’s difficult and expensive to hire directly.Strengthens, not replaces: The goal is to make your existing team more effective, reduce burnout, and improve job satisfaction, turning your IT department into a strategic powerhouse. |
What are Co-Managed IT Services?
Co-managed IT is a partnership model where your internal team and an external provider–like Fidelis–work together. Rather than replacing your staff, Fidelis acts as an extension of your team, taking on specific responsibilities so your employees can focus on high-value, strategic work.
You stay in control while gaining the depth, expertise, and coverage of a full IT department. It’s a collaborative approach designed to empower, not displace.
This model differs from fully managed IT services, where the IT provider typically takes over all IT tasks. With co-managed IT, your company retains control while receiving expert support to lighten your internal team’s load.
How Co-Managed IT Helps Your Team Succeed
Co-managed IT services are built to enhance, not replace, your in-house staff, allowing your company to:
Offload Routine Work
Daily technical issues can easily consume your team’s time. A co-managed partnership allows Fidelis to handle repetitive or time-sensitive tasks, such as system monitoring, updates, and user support, so your staff can stay focused on larger business initiatives. Services typically included by co-managed services include:
- 24/7 network monitoring: Proactively identifying and resolving issues before they cause downtime
- Security patching and updates: Systematically managing software updates across all devices to close security vulnerabilities so you team stays focused on core projects
- Remote support & automation tools: Provide your team tools to provide remote support, and optionally have your managed service provider handle some Help Desk duties.
Fill Critical Skill Gaps
No one team can do it all. Co-managed IT gives your organization access to specialized expertise on demand–whether it’s cybersecurity, compliance, or cloud solutions–without the overhead of full-time hires. You get the right skill at the right time, without disrupting your budget. This is invaluable for areas, such as:
- Advanced cybersecurity: Leveraging security operations center analysts for advanced threat hunting and incident response
- Cloud strategy: Working with certified cloud architects to create cloud migration or optimization strategies that are cost-effective, secure, and scalable
- Compliance and auditing: Consulting experts who can help you meet complex compliance requirements such as HIPAA or CMMC
Empower Strategic Growth
When your team isn’t buried in daily support tasks, they can focus on projects that move the business forward: improving processes, introducing new technologies, and strengthening long-term strategy. That’s when IT becomes a true growth driver rather than a cost center. Your team can be freed up to focus on high-impact projects, including:
- Developing a strategic roadmap for a new software rollout
- Working with department heads to improve business processes with technology
- Researching and vetting new technologies that can provide a competitive advantage
- Streamlining your IT infrastructure to enhance performance and maximize cost efficiency
Improve Morale and Retention
Overworked teams burn out. Co-managed IT relieves pressure by providing consistent support and after-hours coverage. Your staff gets a healthier balance, while your company benefits from higher productivity and lower turnover.
The Fidelis Co-Managed IT Partnership Difference
When your company adopts co-managed IT, your team can experience these changes:
| Before co-managed IT | After co-managed IT | |
| Daily priority | Reactive tasks such as password resets, software updates | Proactive improvements to business applications |
| Cybersecurity | Basic firewall and antivirus management | Strategic threat analysis and policy development |
| After-hours support | Constantly on-call for IT emergencies | Sticking to planned project deadlines, minimizing urgent disruptions |
| Focus | Keeping the lights on | Driving business innovation |
Fidelis provides co-managed IT services designed for growing Pacific Northwest organizations that want the best of both worlds: a strong in-house team and a trusted technology partner.
With Fidelis, you gain:
- Local expertise: Our Seattle-area employees work alongside your team, not from afar.
- Predictable costs: Transparent, monthly pricing with no hidden fees.
- Enterprise-grade tools: Access to the same resources large corporations use, scaled to your needs.
- A human partnership: We value relationships and believe in empowering your people, not replacing them.
Together, we help your IT team deliver more value to your organization, strengthen security, and accelerate strategic goals.
Move Forward with Confidence
When your IT team has the right support, everyone wins: your staff, your leadership, and your business.
Let’s build a partnership that keeps your technology reliable, your people supported, and your organization ready for what’s next.Contact Fidelis today to learn how co-managed IT can help your team do more, stress less, and focus on what matters most.
