I have often noticed that people who are comfortable using technology at home can become strangely hesitant when they use it in the office. Someone may have no difficulty switching on a television, changing an input or connecting a device at home, yet the same person may stand in front of a meeting-room screen at work and feel unable to touch anything without calling IT.

The technology is often not very different. What changes is the person's confidence.

In the workplace, people sometimes feel that the system is too complicated, or that pressing the wrong button may cause a serious problem. Technology begins to feel less like a tool and more like something waiting to expose a mistake, and over time that fear can create dependency.

I have also seen how easily technology becomes the explanation when something goes wrong. A delay becomes a system issue. A missed step becomes a software problem. On one occasion, even a laptop forgotten at home was first described as some kind of technical failure. There are genuine failures, of course; systems freeze, networks drop and devices sometimes behave unpredictably, and IT teams understand this better than most. But technology is also easy to blame because most people cannot see what is happening behind the screen. "The system did not work" can become an explanation that is accepted without much questioning.

I do not believe the answer is to criticise users. If anything, IT departments sometimes help create this dependence. We solve every small issue, connect every cable and change every setting without explaining what happened. The immediate problem disappears, but the person gains no confidence from the experience, and the next time the same situation occurs, they call again.

Sometimes this comes from efficiency; it can feel quicker to fix the problem ourselves than to show someone how to do it. At other times, technical language makes a simple issue sound more complicated than it really is. But each time IT takes complete control of an ordinary task, we may unintentionally reduce the user's confidence.

I have come to believe that the role of IT is not limited to making technology work. It should also help people feel capable of using it. This does not mean every employee must become technically skilled; people have different responsibilities, and specialist support will always be necessary. But there should be a reasonable level of confidence with the everyday tools that have become part of modern work. A person should feel comfortable switching on a display, connecting a laptop or checking a few basic things before assuming the system has failed.

IT has an important role in making this possible. Technology should be simple where it can be simple. Instructions should be clear. Questions should be answered without making people feel embarrassed. When support is provided, the person should understand enough to handle the same situation next time.

There must still be accountability. Empowering people does not mean treating every forgotten step as a technical failure. Users also have a responsibility to understand the basic tools their work requires, and to take reasonable ownership of how they use them. The balance matters.

IT should own the complexity and reliability of the systems; users should be encouraged to own the ordinary use of those systems.

When that balance is achieved, technology becomes less intimidating. People become more confident, support teams spend less time on avoidable issues, and genuine problems receive the attention they deserve.

A successful IT department does not create permanent dependency. It gradually helps people need less help.