Companies are digitalising rapidly. HR systems, SaaS tools, customer portals, mobile apps – everyone works with accounts, logins, and permissions. But who actually keeps track of who has access to what?

This is exactly where Identity & Access Management (IAM) comes into play.

What is IAM?

IAM manages everything around digital identities: creating accounts, granting permissions, and revoking them once someone leaves or changes roles.
The goal: the right person, the right access, at the right time.

Or to put it simply: everyone inside (or outside) your organisation gets exactly what they need, and nothing more.

Why it is indispensable

Without proper IAM, chaos quickly arises: old accounts remain active, temporary employees retain access to customer data, and no one knows whether someone should or should not have access to that one HR system.
This is not only a risk for your security, but also for compliance. Consider the GDPR, which requires you to demonstrate that personal data is only accessible to authorised users.

IAM ensures:

• Security: no open accounts or overly broad permissions.

• Compliance: everything is traceable and auditable.

• Efficiency: no more manual account management, but automatic provisioning from HR.

• User-friendliness: one login (SSO) for all applications.

From HR to IT: the logical foundation

In many organisations, the lifecycle of an employee starts in HR.
Therefore, it makes sense to make IAM HR-driven.

New employee joining? Joinly sees it directly in the HR system and automatically creates the right account in Microsoft Entra (Azure AD), Teams, and other linked apps.
Someone leaving? Access is automatically revoked. No separate Excel sheets, no forgotten accounts.

What is IAM in 2025: from control to trust

IAM is no longer an IT chore. It is a strategic tool for organisations that want to work safely, scalably, and future-proof.
With concepts like Zero Trust and least privilege, the focus shifts from ‘trust unless’ to ‘verify unless’.
IAM forms the technological backbone: every user, every request, and every access is checked, logged, and managed.

The role of Joinly

Joinly makes IAM accessible for organisations that do not want to get lost in complicated policies and expensive licenses.
Our approach is simple:

• HR is the source of truth

• IAM automates access via Entra ID

• Governance, logging, and self-service are built-in
  Thus, you make access secure, demonstrable, and manageable – without overloading your IT team.

Summary

IAM is the silent force behind secure digital collaboration.
It prevents employees from having too many permissions, keeps compliance in check, and ensures that onboarding and offboarding happen automatically.
In short: IAM is not just an IT topic, but an essential part of how modern organisations work.