10 IT Issues That Cause the Most Downtime in 2025
Did you know the average business loses 15.3 minutes per employee to IT downtime every single day? For a company with just 100 employees, that translates to over 25 hours of lost productivity—daily.
Multiply that across an entire year, and you’re looking at a staggering 6,630 hours of idle time. These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; they represent delayed deliverables, frustrated clients, and mounting operational costs.
CloudSecureTech analyzed IT incidents logged in support tickets during 2024 to uncover the most common culprits behind these losses. The data reveals that while businesses continue to rely on technology to drive efficiency, certain key issues still cause massive disruptions.
The good news? By pinpointing where downtime occurs most, you can prioritize mitigation strategies and significantly reduce its impact on your organization.
This article is part of the ‘What’s Got Your Business Looking So Down(time)? (2025)’ series of articles based on market research conducted by CloudSecureTech.
Network Problems Create Bottlenecks Everywhere
Network issues top the list of IT downtime causes, averaging an eye-watering 1,795.5 minutes of employee-adjusted downtime per incidence. Think about what this means: email systems grind to a halt, cloud applications become unreachable, and internal workflows screech to a stop.
From poorly configured routers to bandwidth bottlenecks and even physical cable damage, network problems have a wide-reaching impact. A single issue can cascade across the organization, leaving employees unable to perform basic tasks.
For example, if your VoIP phone system gets hit, not only are customer calls disrupted, but your sales, marketing, and support teams lose hours chasing their tails.
| A word about our findings Issues like printer disconnections, “my laptop’s not working”, and “I forgot my password” far outnumber server and network issues. In our research, we found nearly daily tickets with one or more users complaining of minor issues such as these. However, when you factor in how much downtime a single issue can cause, the calculation changes. Whereas malfunctioning email may impact a user, an unavailable server can impact dozens of staff or more. |
Internet Outages Disrupt Remote Workflows
Internet reliability is no longer a luxury; it’s the glue that holds modern business together. In 2025, internet outages caused over 1,157.1 minutes of downtime every time the occur because of how widespread the impact is.
With hybrid and remote work now the norm, any disruption here has immediate ripple effects. Deadlines are missed, client communication breaks down, and collaboration tools like Teams or Slack are rendered useless.
Even seemingly brief internet outages can derail remote meetings or halt file uploads critical to a project. Let’s say your engineering team uses CAD software hosted in the cloud—an hour-long outage could delay production schedules by days, not hours.
Businesses must consider failover internet connections, where a backup ISP automatically activates when the primary fails. For those running operations on-site, investing in business-grade internet solutions can pay dividends when it matters most.
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Servers Break Down Complex Systems
With an average of 550 minutes of downtime every time an issue occurs, server failures are a significant yet often underappreciated disruptor. When servers go offline, critical systems—such as ERP software, databases, and customer-facing websites—become inaccessible.
Server downtime often stems from outdated hardware, insufficient capacity planning, or a lack of regular maintenance. We’ve all heard horror stories of companies losing millions because an unpatched server was exploited or crashed during high traffic periods.
Software Licensing Issues Cause Unexpected Shutdowns
At 435.7 minutes, software licensing accounts for a surprising amount of downtime. These issues include expired licenses, conflicts during upgrades, and insufficient user accounts. Often, they’re silent disruptors; no glaring alarms, but without resolution, they can grind key workflows to a halt.
Licensing problems are both preventable and unnecessary, yet they’re common because businesses fail to track their assets effectively.
End-User Devices Constantly Interrupt Work
Cumulatively, end-user devices contribute over 800 minutes of downtime, including 365.9 minutes for printers, 210.6 minutes for laptops, and 198.8 minutes for desktops. While none of these categories rivals networks or servers in severity, their sheer frequency adds significant frustrations to employees’ workdays.
These “little” problems create stress, delay deliverables, and erode morale over time. Moreover, as IT teams focus on fixing user-facing issues, they often neglect long-term strategic projects.
Standardizing hardware and implementing a preventative maintenance plan can ensure these nuisances are caught before they escalate. Companies should also offer quick access to IT help desks to resolve device issues efficiently.
A Stitch in Time Can Save Nine (or up to $1,202 Every Time)
Reducing downtime is critical for sustaining productivity and maximizing revenue potential. Here are three high-impact strategies to create a proactive and resilient IT environment:
Implement System Monitoring (44.0%)
Nearly half of all IT issues can be prevented through proactive monitoring. By employing automated tools to track server health, network stability, and system performance, you can detect potential issues early—allowing for preemptive action.
Provide User Education (21.7%)
Empower your employees by equipping them with the knowledge to use systems efficiently and troubleshoot minor issues on their own. Developing an easy-to-use knowledge base with guides for common tasks—such as resetting passwords or setting up devices for new hires—can considerably reduce the number of support tickets.
Establish Standardized Processes (3.6%)
Creating clear, consistent procedures for issue reporting, system maintenance, and updates is essential for minimizing downtime. Standardized processes ensure swift response times and seamless communication during incidents. They can prevent recurring issues, such as having a checklist for setting up devices for new hires, and regular audits to identify which teams need access to software.
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