If I ever become a manager of geeks instead of just a (sometimes) managed geek, I am going to frame this article.
Good IT pros, whether they are expected to or not, have to operate and make decisions with little supervision. So when the rules are loose and logical and supervision is results-oriented, supportive and helpful to the process, IT pros are loyal, open, engaged and downright sociable. Arbitrary or micro-management, illogical decisions, inconsistent policies, the creation of unnecessary work and exclusionary practices will elicit a quiet, subversive, almost vicious attitude from otherwise excellent IT staff.
Well, last year(s) many manager did pretty much anylike they liked without caring about (dis)likes of employess. When unhappy in 2002 you went to another job, when unhappy in 2009 you shut up or be gone, much luck in finding a job.
My country is said to be the mother of all layoff-protection countries resulting in many jobs at randstad and manpower. I take more money home after taxes and social insurance than a colleague (employed at randstad) earns beforehand and he has to travel between two locations (no travel reimbursements if he wants to keep his job – of course he CAN sue but randstad CAN freely choose to never employ him again). AND he is married, which I’m not, so he has a much smaller percentage of income tax. I can freely choose between any of the two locations, which is better for work (I really like the new 8 gig ram machines for work) or for chat. One day I will stay in bed all day drinking wine and all people at both locations will think I’m at the other location hard working).