Tech teams are working harder than ever in today's technology-driven world. As with teams across any department, extra support is critical when the scope of the work expands.
To help, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer their tips for boosting support geared specifically toward tech teams. Whether you're exploring continuous learning opportunities or improving collaboration tools, these strategies can help you enhance support for your tech teams and foster innovation.
1. Invest in Training and Development
One effective way for companies to better support their tech teams is by investing in ongoing training and development opportunities. Providing access to relevant courses, workshops and conferences keeps tech professionals updated on the latest trends and technologies. Creating a collaborative culture that fosters knowledge sharing among team members increases productivity and job satisfaction. - Jason Hennessey, Hennessey Digital
2. Prioritize Open Communication and Process Updates
One way companies can support their tech teams is by being proactive with open communication and process updates. Often, tech teams are very siloed. It's important for companies to bring their greater technology teams into more strategy and higher-level conversations to bridge knowledge and understanding gaps between business and technology. This often leads to greater innovation. - Chloe Alpert, Enobl
3. Be Open to New Processes
The best way for companies to support tech teams is to be nimble in their approach to methodologies and be open to new ways of doing things. Oftentimes, new tech becomes available to help streamline operations and communications but is late to be adopted due to technophobia on the management side. Be willing to embrace new tech that is introduced when it's appropriate, even if it's unfamiliar. - Henry Kurkowski, eWireless
4. Leverage AI Tools
Tech companies can lean into the use of artificial intelligence tools for their employees. Instead of only instrumenting policies to avoid its use due to concerns over regulations and privacy, provide healthy, compliant parameters that enable your teams to learn how best to drive efficiency with AI. AI is as transformative as general availability was in the 1990s, and it's here to stay. - Sabina Pons, Growth Molecules
5. Encourage Taking the Latest Training
Ensure that your tech teams are up to date with the latest training and developments they need to remain at the peak of their game. AI and blockchain are some of the new buzzwords. Decide if a new technology direction is for your company, then ensure that your teams are properly trained and certified in those. - Zain Jaffer, Zain Ventures
6. Offer Innovation Sabbaticals
I would propose innovation sabbaticals, which are more structured and periodic breaks that allow tech team members to explore personal projects or new technologies unrelated to their normal work endeavors. This initiative aims to blend professional development with psychological restoration. Inevitably, it leads to greater creativity while also ensuring individuals update their tech knowledge and skills. - Dr. Kira Graves, Kira Graves Consulting
7. Listen to Your Tech Team
It's important to be proactive and listen to your tech team to stay up-to-date with state-of-the-art methods for improvement. Our tech team excelled when we followed this approach years ago. - Tammy Sons, Tn Nursery
8. Promote Continuous Learning
In today's technology-driven world, companies can better support their tech teams by encouraging continuous learning. Provide professional development opportunities. By investing in training programs, workshops and certifications, companies empower their tech teams to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies, fostering innovation and growth within the organization. - Anna Yusim, MD, Yusim Psychiatry, Consulting & Executive Coaching
9. Make Time for Experimentation
Encourage experimentation. Many tech teams enjoy tinkering. Having permission to experiment "on the job" provides a productive and fun counterpoint alongside the running of business activities. Experimentation also often builds a sense of camaraderie that pays dividends in other ways. - Karen Mangia, The Engineered Innovation Group
10. Address Unhealthy Habits
Recognize and address the unhealthy habits prevalent in tech teams that can lead to burnout and disengagement, including excessive screen time. It's common for employees to become consumed by projects and deadlines, neglecting their well-being in the process. However, this all-or-nothing approach isn't sustainable. Companies need to encourage a workable balance between perseverance and recovery. - Leah Marone, Corporate Wellness Consultant
11. Hire a Liaison
Tech teams need help dealing with non-tech people. Sometimes, it is hard for tech professionals to read the minds of non-tech colleagues. Investing in an "interpreter," like a good project manager who can be the glue between the different teams, can be very useful to avoid misunderstandings and put less pressure on the tech team. - Krisztina Veres, Veres Career Consulting
12. Address Skills Gaps
Continuous training can help address any existing skill gaps within the team. Prioritizing this will ensure that all members are proficient and can handle the demands of their projects effectively. - Britton Bloch, Navy Federal
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
