From the creators of the tech bubble theory comes a fresh new challenge: finding out what makes IT employees happy. We thought we’d give it a try since we develop employee engagement software.
A lot of our clients are tech-related companies. We took a look at some of the data we gathered and realized that their employees had similar happiness triggers:
1. New projects
2. Juicy, cutting-edge technology
3. Releases
4. Fixing issues and adding new features
5. Finalizing sprints
6. Good team synergy
Like every single one of us, they like to be needed. They like to fix things and finalize tasks. It’s not just a tech thing, it’s natural.
The great thing about identifying these happiness factors is that it allowed the company management to improve and build on them.
In the case of a software development company we work with, using specific processes, fixing issues and adding new features were frequently associated with happy moods.  Equally, employees were unhappy when they didn’t like the project or the tasks assigned, or when the work was not perceived as challenging.
Releasing a project closes a cycle and allows the employee to experience a finish line. Successfully achieving the result is important for experiencing happiness. It’s the same with solving issues or adding new features. These are short term projects that bring fast paced achievements.
The success of a project triggered an increase in happiness levels. However, from the gathered feedback, we discovered that it’s even more engaging for employees to develop new skills on the way.
Processes that employees consider to be beneficial for the company (TDD) create an image of stability/predictability and drive happiness.
The same happiness factors drive unhappiness when they are not met. Additionally, it was identified that an overload of work makes employees feel unhappy. The main reason behind it isn’t the stress generated, nor the psychical exhaustion. It’s the feeling that you’re never reaching the finish line.
Takeaway
IT employees are people too. Hope you got to the end of the article to enjoy this joke.
On a more serious note, investing some time and effort into revealing the most relevant happiness factors in a certain industry can be pure gold. Not only will your employees be satisfied and engaged, but your company will have a healthy and profitable ascent.
For IT employees celebrating achievements is a great starting point to drive happiness. Getting feedback on projects and processes is another must-do.
Over to you, what are some happiness drivers that you know of in IT?
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