How SMEs can make IT remote-work friendly.
One of the unspoken truths of working in IT is that tech skills are often the least complicated part of the job. It’s more often the human side of the equation which is the most challenging. And it turns out, especially with the growing adoption of flexible working models, the role of IT is just as much about connecting with and communicating with people as it is about solving tech problems.
According to a recent Frost and Sullivan study commissioned by GoTo, 76 per cent of IT professionals said they are experiencing a large increase in workload because of remote and hybrid-work setups. Additionally, 43 per cent say IT has become more difficult overall as a result of these new, flexible ways of working.
“The demand for empathy skills in IT is only going to increase.”
So, how can IT professionals navigate remote, hybrid and flexible working models? And how can they build and optimise empathic and listening skills in this new way of working?
Optimise for empathy
In this age of hybrid and remote work, approaching IT issues with a ‘keep people in the loop’ mindset, can make you more efficient and effective as a problem solver, and more valued by your employer, colleagues and customers. Yet one in five IT professionals say lack of communication is the most difficult part of performing their work remotely, according to a recent study by Ivanti. So, not only has the workload increased, but connecting and engaging with employees and customers remains a major hurdle for dispersed teams.
With hybrid work being a top priority for many workers and a major factor in a company’s ability to recruit and retain talent, the demand for empathy skills in IT is only going to increase. The most effective tool is how carefully you can read the person you’re trying to assist. Often the best IT professionals are those who can tell through the tone of someone’s voice how they’re thinking and where they’re going.
No one is a mind reader but thinking about the context that a person is working in, and how that might change their mindset, can be a good place to start an interaction. Just envisioning their remote work setup isn’t enough. Taking into account the physical demands of a colleague’s job as well as the neurological context that they are in can help approach an interaction from a place of empathy.
The foundational steps to empathy in the workspace can sound basic, especially when approaching tasks from a problem-solving mindset, but accessing empathy doesn’t always come naturally. One easy place to start is with curiosity. This can be as simple as asking a person to explain their statement using an open question, such as “tell me more”.
Another key step is to be generous in your assumptions, giving the benefit of doubt. Working from a place of compassion is even more essential when we’re physically separated from each other. Body language does a lot of work, and when we can’t fully observe each other, it’s so much easier for misinterpretations to develop. All in all, this is about bringing forward the human side of IT.
Digital tools will help
Having the right digital tools will of course help. But then ensuring SMEs unify and consolidate communication, collaboration and IT management tools is key to making IT remote-work friendly in the future, while also significantly reducing IT overheads and expenses.
And it isn’t just about fewer tools. It’s about better tools, especially when it comes to simplifying the complexity IT help desks must now manage in remote working environments. In Frost & Sullivan’s research, 33 per cent of small-business leaders plan to upgrade their help desk tools in 2022 and 95 per cent say consolidation of their tech stack is either already underway or they plan to start consolidation in 2022.
Just as important as investing in a consolidated tech stack is giving your employees the freedom to choose the flexible work style that works best for them. This will not only relieve pressure on IT, but also boost productivity, and help workers do their best work from anywhere. Because at the end of the day, it’s not really about digital tools, it’s about growing your business. The technology should simply allow your business to thrive.
This article first appeared in issue 37 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
