How to build resilient IT teams
With skills gaps, high workloads, and technostress, tech workers are under pressure. Here are some tips to ease the burden on your IT team.
A recent survey found that 62% of IT professionals report feeling ‘physically and emotionally drained.’ The question is: What are the factors that are creating this situation? And how can IT managers and decision makers more broadly combat this to create happier and more resilient IT teams? Let’s take a closer look.
In this article:
What is a resilient IT team?
Before getting into the specific challenges faced by IT teams, let’s first try to define ‘team resilience’. In a 2019 study, resilience was defined as, ‘the capacity to withstand and recover from challenges, pressure, or stressors.’ It only arises in the context of adversity.
Importantly, both teams and individuals can show resilience. But the study’s authors also emphasize that team resilience differs from individual resilience. It’s something greater than the sum of its parts.
But what exactly is this ‘something’? A recent survey of 2,000 business coaches set out to answer this question and establish the key characteristics of team resilience. From their experience working with teams across industries, they came up with four main traits:
- They believe they can effectively complete tasks together.
- They share a common mental model of teamwork.
- They’re able to improvise.
- They trust one another and feel safe.
Unpacking these a little, we can see that the first two traits are rooted in clear and supportive management, while the last two require an environment of psychological safety. Underscoring all four traits are mutual support and trust. But for many reasons, the conditions for resilient teams are often impeded within the IT industry.
Stress in IT: Some causes
In a recent survey of 11,487 tech workers, nearly 60 percent admitted to feeling burnout. The causes of this situation in the IT field are of course complex. Nonetheless, here are some key factors that are negatively impacting how we do our work.
Technostress
Back in 1984, the psychologist Craig Brod coined the term technostress to describe a ‘modern disease of adaptation caused by an inability to cope with the new computer technologies in a healthy manner.’ Since then, it has come to describe the mental stress stemming from technology use.
Understandably enough, people working with technology 24/7 are most vulnerable to technostress. This spans a range of physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms, including eye strain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and backaches; depression and anxiety; and demotivation and fear.
IT staff shortages
As we covered in a recent article, we’re also witnessing a serious IT skills gap. Simply put, the IT skills gap means there’s a difference between the skills that employees need and the skills of available workers. By one estimation, demand for AI and machine learning experts will grow by 40%, or 1 million jobs in the next four years.
In fact, according to one recent report, 96% of businesses surveyed said they were seeing a gap in IT skills. And what happens to the team members in these work environments? You're probably all too aware: They become overwhelmed and find it difficult to keep up. At a certain point, they leave, and the same cycle begins again.
Tech layoffs
Recent years have been bruising for IT workers. According to Statista, there were at least 262,000 layoffs at more than 1,180 tech companies worldwide in 2023. The cited reasons include high inflation, sluggish economic growth, the arrival of AI, and rising interest rates.
Thankfully, the layoffs have slowed in 2024, but there’s no doubt that this has contributed to growing anxiety for tech workers worldwide. Perceived job insecurity has considerable negative impact on mental health. While it can lead to disengagement and a dip in productivity, it can also cause tech workers to push themselves harder than advisable and slide into burnout.
Constantly evolving tech
This is the flip side of the IT skills gap. As technology evolves, so do the demands placed on our IT workers. And the rapid adoption of AI and machine-learning technologies has often added new stressors. Employees can feel pressure to train quickly on the job, while also trying to manage their usual workloads.
Remote working
The Covid-19 pandemic brought about a sea change when it came to how we work. For Gen Z and millennial workers—comprising most of today's workforce—the option to work from home is vital. According to a 2022 survey, 86% of respondents preferred a fully remote or almost fully remote structure to either hybrid or full-time in-office work.
Importantly, remote working directly correlates with reduced costs and more family time. For neuro-divergent or disabled people, the increasing prevalence of remote working has also removed significant barriers to work.
But it's also worth saying that the work-life balance promised by remote work can often be illusory. Instead of supporting healthy boundaries, it often creates a situation where it's harder to switch off from work. This means that IT workers can end up pushing themselves much too far, culminating in health problems and even job burnout.
Tips for building more resilient IT teams
Build for diversity
As my colleague Jennifer Reinhardt writes, there are numerous advantages of diverse teams, including increased creativity and performance. As a result, the presence (or absence) of diversity plays a significant role in determining where people want to work. According to one study, it is a key factor for 76% of US employees and prospective employees in considering an employer or job offer.
By building teams with a broad range of experiences, backgrounds, and skillsets, you’re well placed to navigate staff shortages and skills gaps. At the same time, you also help to create a more attractive workplace. This in turn will help with staff retention, leading to improved morale and, again, a more attractive workplace.
Create a sense of psychological safety
This is vital for resilient teams. Good working conditions—including clear structures and boundaries between work and life—will attract and keep long-term workers. But because challenges are inevitable, it makes sense to also provide mental health services (online or in person) to support staff when they’re struggling.
And this also makes good economic sense. Indeed, Microsoft’s 2022 Trend Index report showed that organizations prioritizing employee engagement during economic uncertainty performed twice as well financially as those that didn’t.
Make use of technological solutions
While new technologies have presented challenges in terms of upskilling, they have also brought huge benefits for IT teams. AI solutions, for example, can boost efficiency through automation, helping your team do more with less. They can solve problems associated with overwork.
Our new AI-powered features are a great example of this. By helping IT support teams to automate documentation, they help them focus on what they do best: Solving issues. At the same time, they create the conditions for improved training and teamwork.
The AI Opportunity
Demonstrate clear career paths
Clear career paths build resilience in IT teams by providing direction, motivation, and purpose. Responding to personality traits and interests, they encourage continuous skill development, helping employees adapt in a challenging field.
They also reduce turnover, improve retention, and ensure that team members are always upskilling to meet new challenges. This clarity strengthens individual confidence and team stability, meaning IT teams can stay agile and handle whatever comes their way.
Offer skills training
Ongoing skills training is crucial for resilient IT teams. For one thing, it helps boost innovation: Only highly performant workers with up-to-date knowledge will be able to push things forward. This in turn is essential for making sure that your company stays competitive.
On a broader level, skills training shows confidence in your team, empowering them to be as good as they can be. This helps build job confidence and satisfaction. At the same time, it helps to foster a learning culture that can help to draw and retain IT talent.
Summary
Addressing the challenges faced by IT workers is essential for building resilient IT teams. Managers can play their part in improving employee satisfaction and reducing burnout by building diverse teams, empowering their employees, and fostering a culture of psychological safety.
Additionally, using technology effectively, providing clear career paths, and investing in ongoing skills training can help combat technostress. With the help of these strategies, organizations can support their IT workers, mitigate burnout, and enhance overall productivity. Ultimately, this is vital both for resilient IT teams as well as long-term success.
Want to ease the burden on your IT support team?
Our brand-new AI features help teams automate documentation and analyze past support sessions so they can focus on what’s important. Try them for free today.