Does your IT guy seem stressed? Overwhelmed? Not getting enough sleep? You, yes you, could actually be the problem.
A survey of 200 IT professionals found that 67% of them have considered switching careers due to the job stress. One third of them work an equivalent of 10 additional weeks per year in overtime hours. If you're doing things that take up your IT guy's time unnecessarily, or forces him to do the same tasks over and over again, then you are contributing to that stress and overtime. Here are four things you can do to make your IT guy's life a little easier.
- Listen to His Advice - If your IT guy says to stop responding to phishing emails with your personal credentials, then stop. If your IT guy says not to use your CD/DVD tray as a coffee cup holder, then don't. If your IT guy says that your computer needs to be plugged in to work, then listen. He knows what he's doing. Trust him and his advice instead of acting like you know more than he does.
- Don't Take Frustrations Out on Him, or the Machine - If you're having problems with your computer or another device, then ask the IT guy for help. Destroying the device only to realize it would have been an easy fix doesn't help anyone, and threatening the IT guy doesn't help anyone either. How do you expect him to do good work or to keep working with you if you threaten him?
- Be Realistic with Deadlines - IT professionals aren't super human, and technology isn't magic. Give your IT guy the time necessary to fix problems and to set up programs. Don't tell them 10 minutes just because you need it done