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Does a small business need an in-house IT employee?

Kristof Vanknippenberg30 May 20266 min

Your business is growing, IT is getting more complex, and increasingly you find yourself thinking: "We really need someone to handle this full-time." It's a thought that crosses the mind of many small business owners in Belgium. But is an in-house IT employee really the right choice for a small company?

The short answer: in most cases, no. But it deserves some nuance. Because the need for good IT support is very real — it's just the execution that can be done smarter.

The situation at most small businesses

In most small businesses I visit — from Hasselt to Genk, from Sint-Truiden to Tongeren — the IT landscape looks roughly the same:

  • 5 to 25 employees
  • Microsoft 365 for email and files
  • One or two specific software packages (accounting, CRM, planning)
  • A mix of laptops, desktops, and sometimes a server
  • No dedicated IT person — someone on the team "who knows a bit about tech" steps in when needed

Sound familiar? Then chances are IT is a side concern at your company that occasionally causes headaches. And the question is fair: should you hire someone for it?

What does an in-house IT employee cost?

Let's start with the facts. A junior IT employee in Belgium will quickly cost you:

  • Gross monthly salary: €2,800 – €3,500
  • Total employer cost (social security, holiday pay, 13th month, insurance…): €4,000 – €5,500 per month
  • On top of that: training costs, a laptop, software, and time to get up to speed

On an annual basis, you're looking at €50,000 to €70,000. For a company with 10 employees, that's a serious investment. And then you have someone who might be effectively working on IT tasks 30% of the time — the rest is either idle or spent on things outside their expertise.

When do you actually need an IT employee?

There are situations where an in-house IT employee makes sense:

  • You have more than 50 employees
  • You work with highly sensitive data that requires constant monitoring (healthcare, financial services)
  • You have complex, custom IT systems that need daily management
  • You develop your own software or maintain a proprietary application

For most small businesses in Belgium, none of this applies. The IT needs are real, but not substantial enough to keep someone busy full-time.

The alternative: flexible IT support

What more and more Belgian businesses are doing — and what works well in practice — is choosing an external IT partner available on a flexible basis.

In concrete terms, this means:

  • A set number of hours per month (for example, 4 to 8 hours) for regular management, updates, and checks
  • On-demand support for when something goes wrong or when you have a question
  • Periodic check-ups of your security, licences, and IT environment
  • Strategic advice when you're facing decisions: new hardware, software, or expansion

You have someone who knows your business, who understands how your environment is set up, and who you can reach when needed. But you're not paying for the hours when there's nothing to do.

External IT vs. in-house IT: an honest comparison

Let me put the two options side by side:

In-house IT employee:

  • Always physically present
  • Knows the business from the inside
  • Costs €50,000–€70,000 per year
  • Limited knowledge (one person, one background)
  • Holiday and sick leave = no IT support
  • You need to recruit, train, and manage them yourself

External IT partner:

  • Available when needed
  • Gets to know your business over time
  • Costs €2,000–€6,000 per year (depending on scope)
  • Broader expertise (works with multiple environments)
  • Continuity guaranteed (no holiday gaps)
  • No employer obligations

For a small business with 5 to 25 employees, the choice is clear in most cases. The external option offers more flexibility, broader knowledge, and a fraction of the cost.

"But I want someone I can call directly"

A valid concern. And the good news: that's entirely possible with an external partner. The difference with a large IT company is that with a smaller, local partner, you don't end up in a ticketing system. You simply call your dedicated contact — someone who knows you and who knows your environment.

In Limburg, I notice that business owners place a lot of value on this. The personal contact, the short communication lines, someone who comes by when it's really needed. That doesn't have to disappear when you outsource IT — on the contrary, with the right partner it actually gets better.

The "tech colleague" is not a solution

One more thing I encounter often: the colleague who's "handy with computers" and therefore takes on all IT questions. Well-intentioned, but not ideal.

That person has their own role — sales, administration, production — and handles IT on the side. This leads to:

  • IT problems that keep piling up
  • No structural maintenance or security
  • Frustration from the colleague who actually has other work to do
  • Risks that nobody notices

It's not a criticism of that colleague — it's simply not fair to place that responsibility on their shoulders without the right resources and time.

Conclusion

An in-house IT employee isn't necessary for most small businesses in Belgium — and frankly, it's not financially feasible either. But good IT support absolutely is. The key is finding the right formula: someone who's available, understands your business, and flexibly adapts to your needs.

Wondering about the right IT approach for your company? I work with small businesses in Hasselt and the rest of Limburg as their dedicated IT partner — flexible, personal, and always reachable when it matters.