Is Your In-House IT Staff Recharging While On Vacation?

Data is the lifeblood of business. Therefore, IT workers who maintain business critical systems that "keep the blood pumping" are at the heart of every data-driven organization. Can your business live if an in-house IT worker took a vacation? Many employers think not. Statistics show IT workers have a difficult time "getting away from IT all."

A 2013 survey by TEKsystems of IT workers from all levels of IT, revealed that 67% of respondents had their vacations interrupted by work demands. This is a disheartening statistic because IT work is a demanding job. There's a lot of stress involved and it's common for an IT technician to be on call for after-hours IT emergencies. If anybody deserves a relaxing and stress-free vacation to properly recharge, it's the in-house IT worker.

In order for an internal IT worker to take an uninterrupted vacation, their company must find adequate coverage while they're away. Unfortunately, the vast majority of businesses don't make these arrangements. According to the same survey, more than 80% of organizations made no staffing or workload adjustments during the vacations of their IT staff members. Lack of planning guarantees that the IT technician's work-issued cell phone will "blow up" while they're at the beach trying to enjoy time with their family.

More survey results from TEKsystems point to IT being a very demanding job:

• 47% of senior IT professionals, along with 18% of entry-to mid-level IT professionals, are expected to be available 24x7, even while on vacation (up from 44% one year ago for senior professionals).
• For senior-level IT professionals, the percentage who said their workplaces did not expect them to be available during vacations shrank from 33% in 2013 to 30% in 2014.
• Overall, employees in every department are crowding their vacation time with work time. In another recent survey by Glassdoor, it was found that 61% of workers accomplish work on their days off.

This is the downside to making mobile technology more convenient; it's easier to reach an employee while they're on vacation, and employers can make check-ins mandatory. IT professionals are particularly vulnerable to work demands on their free time because businesses are adapting more technology into their everyday processes, and they need their IT staff available to support it.

Jack Cullen, president of Modis, a global provider of IT staffing services, explained to ComputerWorld what's behind the trend of more demands on an IT professional's time:

On the whole, IT workers take less vacation than other types of professional workers. Recently, IT staffers have taken less time off than in the past due to more IT projects going on these days, as well as an undersupply of some IT titles. Even while on vacation, folks in IT feel [they] need to be checking in . . . there's a lot going on during the day, and some of them have come back and said "I don't even think it was worthwhile taking a vacation, given that I was connected pretty much all the way through."

A good manager understands the value of rest. Employees need to recharge. Uninterrupted rest helps employees focus better on their work and prevents burnout, which can lead to sloppiness and costly errors. As a business owner, you want your in-house IT staff to be alert, focused, and bring their "A" game to the table. One of the best ways to provide needed support to your IT team so their vacation can be a real vacation (and not a workday with new scenery) is to supplement your IT team with Macro Systems.

By outsourcing your IT to Macro Systems, you can call us anytime when you're faced with an IT issue, like when your in-house network administrator is on vacation. Your IT staff will appreciate the backup, especially when we take care of routine IT maintenances, like virus scans and updates. This will free up their time to work on bigger projects like the technology initiatives your team has yet to get off the ground.

Give your IT staff the restful break they deserve and call Macro Systems at (703) 359-9211.