How to Spot and Manage App Sprawl

You may remember that app sprawl is one of the popular HR buzzwords this year. It’s simply defined as the uncontrolled adoption and use of too many disconnected or underutilized workplace applications, which causes organization-wide inefficiency. 

Like ivy silently growing up the sides of a house, app sprawl often creeps in unnoticed. But when certain patterns are present in an organization’s app ecosystem, they’re tell-tale signs that app sprawl has arrived. One such signal is multiple applications performing similar or overlapping functions. Another is when many apps are underused or rarely accessed. 

Are your employees battling inconsistency due to using different workflows or interfaces? Is data disorganized across multiple applications? These could be signs your company’s app adoption is getting out of control. Capterra’s study on this problem shows that 55% of small to midsize businesses are currently impacted by it.     

App sprawl shares a striking similarity and close relationship with tech sprawl. However, it refers specifically to the proliferation of software applications, while tech sprawl is a much broader concept that encompasses the excess of all kinds of technology assets—think applications, hardware, servers, databases, cloud platforms, APIs, and other digital tools.

Essentially, app sprawl is a subset, type, and indicator of tech sprawl. Often, application sprawl stems from ease of access to software applications and decentralized decision-making. Teams and departments can easily choose new apps without any regulations or oversight. Rapid growth phases and specialized needs can drive organizations and departments to adopt multiple solutions.       

The Impact of App Sprawl on HR

The effects of app sprawl on human resources can be quite unpleasant. Here are some notable ones to watch out for. 

Dwindling Productivity

HR professionals spend more time managing tools than they do managing people. This reduces their efficiency because using many different disconnected software applications can drive duplicate data entry. Toggling between apps can also make simple tasks take longer. 

Poor Employee Experience

Order and strategy are the hallmarks of a great HR department. If employees have to juggle countless applications for different purposes, it can be confusing and frustrating. Employees might be disengaged and lose trust in the HR team.   

Compliance and Security Risks

Each additional app increases the risk of a data breach. Managing the user access, permissions, and data privacy policies of countless tools can become too much to handle.  

Data Fragmentation

Uncontrolled adoption of apps is often followed by poor integration. As a result, each tool has its own data structure. This compels HR to reconcile data manually with much effort. As employee information becomes inconsistent across platforms, data-driven decision-making will become a hassle.  

How to Manage App Sprawl Effectively

Fortunately, app sprawl isn’t a lost cause. With the right steps, it can be effectively tackled and reigned in. Check out some effective practices to get it under control. 

Run a Thorough App Audit

Begin by identifying all applications used across all departments. Group them by function and assess their usage; this will expose overlap and redundancy. Ditch the ones with low usage or duplicated functionality.   

Centralize App Procurement

Departments shouldn’t be left to their own devices when it comes to app procurement. It’s necessary to establish a procedure for application adoption. 

Set up an approval process so that new app procurement will be reviewed. This will ensure that procurement aligns with the company’s goals and segues well with its current app stack.   

Define Policies For IT Governance 

Laying down rules for app lifecycle management can regulate how software applications enter, operate, and exit your organization’s ecosystem. Gauge vital metrics such as app usage, cost efficiency, and performance. Also, check for regulatory compliance.  

Have a Unified Tech Stack 

A  unified tech stack is a potent way to deal with app sprawl. Standardizing core tools across the organization will make all departments rely on a common suite of tech tools. It will enhance integration, interoperability, and data flow since there’s a single source of truth. 

Cangrade’s integration with leading systems can help ace your unified tech stack aspirations.  

Unregulated adoption of software applications can turn convenience into chaos. Implement these steps to quench the disorder that app sprawl causes.