The Touchy-Feely Side of IT
AUTHORED BY WENDY DURRE, CUSTOMER EXECUTIVE @ Guideit
What do you think when you hear the “touchy-feely” side of IT? Am I referring to a new, softer keyboard, something that works completely in Emoji’s? Try again! Believe it or not, TECHNOLOGY impacts our life not only in a practical way, but in an emotional way.
What I’m saying is **YOU** have an impact on others and the world as an IT professional. If you have a career in IT, whether it be a Service Desk Agent, Project Manager, Developer, Marketer, or Executive Leader, you have experienced the touchy-feely side of IT…and you may not even realize it.
Have you ever thought about how your work impacts others? And how do you feel about your work? According to a recent study, only 39% of employees believe that the meaningfulness (contribution of their job to society as a whole) of their job is important to overall job satisfaction. 61% are passionate about their work, and 71% say they frequently put all their effort into their work. The takeaway here is that employees who find their work meaningful and fulfilling are more likely to be engaged and do their work well.
Here’s an example. Does your work assist in the creation of IT jobs or increase employment opportunities in the IT space? Your impact may look something like this: You hire a candidate. That candidate has a family. That family lives in a home purchased through a realtor who helped them find the best location close to work. That candidate also works with a team within the company. That team services the needs of their customer. That team works on maintaining the new EMR application adopted by a medical practice treating and assessing ER patients. We are definitely beyond keyboard, servers, and code.
By digging deeper and evaluating what our job is, we are able to understand that not only are we maintaining systems, we are impacting lives. Every day as a result of your work, you impact hundreds of people. It may seem like your job is a small part of a big process, but to those on the receiving end of your efforts, it is huge!
I challenge you this week to see the scope of your impact on others through your job. I’d love to hear how it changes the way you see yourself in your company and community. So please leave your comments below and make it a great day!
