IT worker burnout gets critical

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/7/29904.html

By John Leyden
24/03/2003

Morale among IT workers is at rock bottom, with workers struggling to
cope with increased workloads.

That's the main conclusion of Meta Group's annual IT Staffing and
Compensation Guide. It found the majority of managers believed their
techies are close to breaking point. Increased pressure, due to
recession-induced staff cutbacks, is increasing the workload of
remaining workers who are beginning to show the strain.

Among IT managers surveyed, more than 71 per cent indicate that IT
employee burnout is currently a serious issue in their organizations.  
Unless the problem is addressed, turnover, productivity, and
shareholder value will suffer, Meta warns.

"Working through this prolonged recession, which has seen budget cuts
across the enterprise, numerous staff cutbacks, and general sector
uncertainty, has definitely taken its toll on IT employee morale.  
Unfortunately, it is those same budget cuts that are impeding managers
from combating the problem by way of making concrete improvements,"  
said Maria Schafer, programme director of Meta Group's IT Human
Capital Management Strategies, and author of the guide.

The picture is not entirely black, with Meta noting that many firms
are rolling out staff training programmes and other measures to boost
worker morale.

More than half (55 per cent) of companies surveyed by Meta have begun
implementing skill development programs as a means to boost employee
morale, while 24 per cent have created better overall retention
programmes.

Monetary rewards still register as a viable "Plan B" for many firms,
according to Meta.

One in ten (11 per cent) of surveyed companies raising salaries, a
similar number hired more staff, and 8 per cent offering cash
incentives to prevent employee burnout.

According to Meta, only a few IT organisations with remote locations
relied on a "change of scenery" to attract more talent and retain good
people. Just one in 20 moved the company to a new location altogether
in an effort to lure skilled workers and reduce employee malaise.

Meta suggests that, at a minimum, firms should keep lines of
communication with hard pressed workers open. Employee surveys,
performance reviews suggestion boxes and the like can all help in
this, it suggests.

Meta released preliminary conclusions of the survey last week, ahead
of the publication of the its IT Staffing and Compensation Guide later
this year.



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