An IT manager might, therefore, be insufficiently knowledgeable and experienced across the full spectrum of people management areas that include:
-Performance management
-The engagement and motivation of
team members
-Team development, including skill
gap identification and upskilling
-Remote worker and hybrid team
management
-Recruitment and retention
-Diversity and inclusion.
But is people management really an issue in ITSM?
On the one hand, ITSM is about enabling business operations and outcomes through fit-for-purpose technology (in the form of IT services). On the other, the IT services don’t design, create, implement, and manage themselves – well, at least not yet.
People are a vital part of ITSM success – as described by the long-used ITIL mantra of “people, processes, and technology” – and one could argue that the people are becoming a key differentiator in delivering the exceptional services that drive business-level competitive advantage.
So, how is the quality of people management in IT? Much of what’s said is anecdotal, with statements such as “They were promoted based on their technical success, but they now need to manage a team of people.”
However, survey data does highlight a disconnect between what’s required for effective people management and how employees feel they are managed (which, as with experience management, is likely a more accurate reflection of people management in IT).
The employee perspective of working in IT(SM)
The 2022 ITSM.tools “Well-being in ITSM” survey found continued well-being issues, with this data a potential proxy for the effectiveness of people management in IT. Important survey statistics include the following:
-“88% of survey respondents
think working in IT will get
harder (at least for some roles).
With only 8% thinking not.”
-“14% of well-being in ITSM
survey respondents feel their
personal efforts aren’t
recognized by management, and
another 57% state that
recognition sometimes happens
but not enough – a total of
71%.”
-“67% of well-being survey
respondents state that working
in IT has adversely affected their
well-being to some extent.”
When asked whether their immediate manager is suitably skilled to identify and deal with employee well-being issues,