Top 5 Issues For IT Sector Employees
We have previously written about the biggest challenges for employers in the IT industry, but what about employees? There are many advantages to working in technology, such as career longevity and higher-than-average salaries, but working in the tech sector has drawbacks like any other. If you’re considering a career in technology, it might help to be aware of the most common issues for IT sector employees today.
Skills Shortages
Lack of skills within the IT sector is a double-edged sword for anyone about to embark upon a tech career. You might think that coming into an industry suffering a skills drought might make it easier for you to find a job. Of course, that makes it less likely that you’ll ever suffer unemployment in your future career. It also makes it more likely that you’ll earn a higher salary because your skills are a hot commodity.
However, the lack of top talent also presents the problem that you may encounter fewer experienced people to learn from. Fortunately, there is no shortage of self-taught workers in IT, and there always seems to be a boot camp for every scarce skill.
Work-Life Balance
Pre-pandemic, many IT employees, felt frustrated that their employers did not trust them to work from home. Coronavirus very quickly convinced sceptical employers that remote work is beneficial for business. However, the resulting change in attitude swung too far in the opposite direction for some.
Anyone working in human resources will tell you that working from home creates ongoing mental health issues for staff struggling to balance their work and home lives. In a bid to address these issues and encourage employee engagement and collaboration, many tech companies have now adopted a hybrid working model.
Working with Out-of-Date Technology
When you choose a career in tech, a popular ambition is to work with the latest technology. Unfortunately, that’s not always possible.
It’s not that managers don’t want to use the newest software. Most companies are aware of the cyber security risks and increased likelihood of data breaches that come with out-of-date technology. Likewise, business owners are undoubtedly aware of how much more profitable and efficient their organisation could be if they adopt the latest tech.
Nevertheless, the reality is that a lack of available skills often results in companies opting for tech solutions that are slightly behind the times.
Lack of Diversity Within the IT Industry
IT professionals often complain about a lack of diversity within the sector. Still, while many are keen to improve this age-old problem, youngsters don’t aspire to be what they can’t see. So because there are so few women in the industry, there is nobody to inspire young women to choose technology subjects at school. It’s a catch-22 situation that the industry is striving to address.
Fortunately, more companies realise the benefits of hiring diversity. However, while the intention exists to change the workforce dynamics, this massive transition will likely take decades.
Companies Having no Disaster Recovery Strategy
If the pandemic taught us one thing, it’s that companies need a disaster recovery strategy. The difference between those that survived and those that died was the willingness to embrace change quickly.
Not surprisingly, small businesses seem to adapt much more rapidly than larger organisations because fewer heads are involved in their decision-making. Smaller companies could adapt their business processes using cloud-based solutions, enabling digital transformation to happen quickly.
Thankfully, the businesses that survived the coronavirus crisis learned some harsh lessons. Most are now more agile in their thinking and, therefore, in a better position to react quickly to problems.
A Few Final Thoughts on Issues Facing IT Sector Employees
Working in any employment sector has its advantages and disadvantages; the tech sector is no different. But if there’s one thing to be said for techies, we are born problem solvers who constantly seek new opportunities to make improvements.
We hope that after reading this article, you have a better idea of the challenges you might face if you choose a career in technology. If you enjoyed reading it, please share it on your favourite social media channel.
Note: This article was first posted on the Adria Solutions blog. See here: Top 5 Issues For IT Sector Employees.
