In order to demonstrate the value of shared services and identify areas for improvement, administrative leaders must continually monitor shared services performance. However, institutions historically lack mechanisms for selecting and tracking core performance metrics, and often they are unsure how to begin organizing and evaluating data, even when it does exist.

Administrative staff who remain in units and those who transition to the shared services center may feel equally anxious about stepping into the unknown. Uncertainty about changing roles and responsibilities can minimize buy-in and spark damaging rumors about what is waiting at the other side of implementation.

Faculty often equate physical proximity of support staff with service quality. Consequently, they fear that “distant” shared services will prioritize central projects, controls, and costs over academic unit needs.