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Automating ITAD Workflows to Support Your Technicians

Your processing team is feeling the strain as devices grow more complex and harder to prepare for reuse. At the same time, finding skilled operators who can handle both the technical and manual demands of the job is increasingly difficult.

These challenges slow down your production floor and impact your bottom line. By automating your ITAD workflows, you can equip your team to overcome these hurdles. Here’s how.

Blancco Senior Content Writer Stephanie Larochelle

Stephanie Larochelle Stephanie Larochelle, a tech enthusiast and writer based in Florida, is dedicated to simplifying the intricacies of the digital world. As Blancco's senior content writer, her goal is to make data erasure easily understandable and approachable so everyone can navigate this crucial aspect of data security.

Labor Shortages are Bottlenecking ITAD Workflows

Data security and privacy risks are the top factor enterprises consider when selecting an ITAD provider; your reputation is literally in the hands of workers you depend on to securely dispose of devices.

At the same time, the tech industry continues to grapple with a workforce skills gap. One study analyzing over 4.3 million tech sector job postings found that fewer than 50% of candidates globally possess the high-demand skills required.

The technicians on your floor are part of that skilled workforce.

Your frontline operators need a deep understanding of technology to effectively handle, analyze, and process a wide range of data storage drives and drive-based devices. As more ITADs expand their device processing, they’ll need workers who are prepared to seamlessly shift between drives, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and smart devices.

There are also regulatory concerns. Your operators need a foundational understanding of data sanitization requirements for various devices to ensure proper data handling and compliance.

Finally, the job of an ITAD technician can be very physically demanding. ITAD operators handling standard computer equipment like desktops or smaller drives can expect to regularly lift between 30 and 50 pounds. Those managing servers and working in data centers face even more physically strenuous tasks, often lifting between 50 and 75 pounds.

Finding someone with the right mix of skills—technical knowledge, customer service abilities, attention to detail, and physical capabilities—isn’t easy.

Typically, your best bet to grow your workforce is to hire entry-level candidates and train your own technicians. This approach is a win-win, as training opportunities can help alleviate some of the burnout your operators face while also supplementing your workforce, ensuring it remains adaptable to market demands.

Upskilling an Entry Level Workforce with Automation

Nearly eight in ten companies have reported adjusting their hiring requirements or lowering standards to fill roles within their organizations. For many ITAD leaders, this challenge feels all too familiar. While candidates may not always have the technical skills needed to work on the floor, many show the potential to learn and refine this knowledge with the right support.

Automation tools can bridge this gap by empowering entry-level workers to handle complex tasks with greater ease and accuracy. In fact, 82% of organizations believe that technology can help alleviate the skills shortage they’re currently facing.

For ITAD operations, automation not only reduces errors but also provides workers with clear guidance to build their skills over time.

Take, for example, an operator tasked with decommissioning a rack of servers containing SSDs, HDDs, and NVMe drives. Depending on company policies or client requirements, each drive type may need to be erased according to specific standards—SSDs and HDDs in line with NIST 800-88, and NVMe drives possibly following IEEE 2883.

Without automation, the operator would need to manually identify each drive and select the correct erasure method, significantly increasing the risk of errors or delays.

With an automated erasure profile, however, the system detects the drive types, assigns the appropriate standards, and starts the process.

The operator oversees the workflow while automation ensures compliance and consistency across all devices. This combination of human oversight and automation improves efficiency while maintaining high standards of data security.

Over time, this process enhances the operator’s skills. By observing how automation categorizes and processes devices, the worker learns to identify different drive types on sight and becomes more proficient in their role. Automation doesn’t just supplement their knowledge—it helps them develop expertise.

For ITAD leaders, this approach is a win-win. By integrating automation, you can address immediate skills gaps while equipping your team to meet the demands of increasingly complex device processing workflows.

When and What to Automate for Maximum Impact

Not all tasks are suitable for automation. Typically, a task should only be automated if it meets three criteria: predictable, repeatable, and high volume.

Predictable	Repeatable	High Volume
The task must produce consistent outcomes with clearly defined results. Predictability allows automation systems to adapt and make accurate decisions. Example: Data erasure workflows, like those following NIST 800-88 or IEEE 2883, rely on clear pass/fail results to function effectively.	The task must follow the same steps each time it is performed. Repeatable processes ensure automation can execute reliably without variations. Example: Capturing make, model, and serial numbers for every device the same way, every time.	The task must occur frequently enough to justify the time and cost of automation. High-volume tasks maximize the efficiency and ROI of automated systems. Example: Running device diagnostics across large batches of IT assets allows ITADs to review hundreds of assets at once

In an ITAD environment, there are dozens of opportunities to embrace automation to streamline workflows and reduce strain on your staff.

Common tasks that benefit from automation include:

Automated erasure profiles: Automating the selection of erasure methods ensures each device is processed using the right technique, while meeting customer requirements and aligning with standards like R2. Preprogrammed profiles map device types to appropriate methods and applicable standards, removing the need for manual decisions by operators.
Hardware functionality testing: During processing, automation can test device components like processors and RAM. If a device fails a diagnostic test, it can be automatically flagged for recycling or repair, saving time and reducing errors.
Device serialization and reporting: Automating the capture of make, model, and serial numbers, as well as assigning unique barcodes to devices, ensures accurate and reliable documentation. This supports tracking, erasure verification, and auditability.
IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface) factory reset: Automation can trigger a factory reset of a server’s baseboard management controller (BMC)—the hardware behind remote management tools like HPE’s iLO and Dell’s iDRAC. This process clears sensitive data such as IP addresses, credentials, and configuration settings, helping prevent exposure after decommissioning.
Selective device retention: Automation can identify which devices to keep or recycle based on predefined criteria such as model or processor type. Systems can notify operators to separate devices for internal use or resale.
Enterprise Resource Planning system communication: Automation tools can integrate with ERP systems to exchange data seamlessly. For example, an ERP system can specify erasure methods for customer devices, which are then applied automatically during processing.
Erasure certificates and reporting: Creating certified data erasure reports automatically ensures compliance with customer and regulatory requirements. Automatically routing to a centralized location enables easy access and auditing.

With automation incorporated into your ITAD workflows, you can begin addressing the shortage of skilled labor that might prevent your operation from reaching its goals.

Increasing demands, growing asset complexity, and heightened regulations are all challenges your ITAD must rise to meet. Automation provides the support you need to overcome these obstacles and achieve success.

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ITAD workflow automation FAQs

What parts of the ITAD process are most suitable for automation?

The most effective areas to automate are those that involve repetitive decision-making and large asset volumes. In the ITAD process, this includes identifying device types, applying the correct erasure method (e.g., NIST 800-88 or IEEE 2883), and capturing make, model, and serial numbers. Automating these steps improves speed, ensures consistency, and reduces operator fatigue—especially when processing hundreds of assets per day.

How does automation improve the ITAD workflow for technicians?

Automation simplifies complex decisions by automatically recognizing device types (like SSDs, HDDs, or NVMe drives) and matching them with the correct erasure standards. Technicians no longer need to manually determine which process to follow for each device, which reduces errors and shortens training time. Over time, operators also begin to recognize these patterns themselves—enhancing both the accuracy and efficiency of the overall ITAD workflow.

What impact does automation have on the hardware decommissioning process?

Automation supports the hardware decommissioning process by eliminating manual steps that are prone to human error, like selecting the wrong erasure profile or skipping diagnostic checks. For example, automation can run component-level diagnostics (e.g., CPU stress tests or RAM verification), flag failed devices for recycling, and trigger a factory reset via IPMI. This improves throughput while giving operators better visibility into asset condition and compliance.

How does automation support the workforce development process in ITAD?

Entry-level technicians often lack the experience to make high-stakes decisions under pressure. Automation helps bridge that gap by guiding them through the correct steps—such as which erasure method to apply or when to reroute a device for repair—so they can learn on the job without compromising quality. Over time, this accelerates training and strengthens the workforce development process, allowing ITAD providers to scale their teams without sacrificing reliability.