posted 31st August 2022
IT mainly consists of two things: Shiny new things that help us move forward and change the way we work; and then the slightly less glamourous, making sure the IT that we already have keeps working.
At the heart of this sits the IT Help Desk which is a mix of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Line Engineers who perform this function, keeping everything running smoothly.
The way such a Help Desk used to be run was quite clear. Previously, a mix of IT Engineers went to an office location, sat together during set hours, and at the end of the day, went home. For a new IT support company you would find an office, set up the infrastructure, advertise for staff - including 1st Line, 2nd Line, 3rd Line Engineers and Analysts, negotiate their employment contracts, agree their working hours, and they then would come to the office. Then the focus was on making sure that help desk roles were being performed effectively and efficiently, and employees were doing well.
In the past, people expected to be office-based rather than requesting to work from home. Most IT help desk, and service desk, jobs tended to be performed in a fixed environment. You and most of your competitors operated in the same way. Certainly 1st and 2nd Line Engineers were always in the office and expected to be there. Project Engineers and 3rd Line Engineers perhaps had a bit more flexibility.
However, the new working world in which we now operate has three models for how and where help desk jobs are performed:
1. Fully remote working
This model has all help desk employees home-based, therefore the company's central office is downsized. This model requires complete commitment. For those who are effective at their jobs and enjoy home-working, this is a time efficient way of working that also eliminates travel costs. It requires a different leadership style and the model encourages management by results, not attendance. However, downsides can be the difficulty in creating and maintaining a company culture and advancing employee personal development.
2. Hybrid model
This model normally consists of 2 to 3 days in the office. Often this model seems to be chosen to keep staff happy and acknowledges modern working practices. One major benefit over the fully remote model is the opportunity for more training and development.
People learn in various ways. For 1st and 2nd Line Engineers sitting and working with people who know more and have been with a company for longer teaches both increased technical knowledge and an understanding of the culture of a company. Unfortunately, this learning is almost completely removed with the fully remote model. Hybrid working is advantageous in that it allows people time at home, however it does not completely remove commuting costs or time.
3. Fully office-based
This model of working seems to be unfashionable at the moment, but it is not as unpopular as many would think. It gives you a complete attendance-based management model where the focus is on are employees here, rather than what are they achieving. However, the time and cost of commuting for employees can be significant, particularly to Central London.
From a recruitment point of view, unquestionably fully remote working is the preferred choice of a large percentage of IT technical candidates. The more experienced, the more likely IT help desk candidates are to want remote work. They are working on more complex IT solutions and problems and this can be well suited to the calm and quiet environment that many people can create working from home.
However, 1st and 2nd Line Engineers can be happier in an office location and probably gain more from it. At the start of your career, a work tribe and the social element that comes with it is part of many people's life journey and can lead to the development of long-lasting networks and relationships. At these earlier stages of people's careers, they have the ability to learn a lot, quickly. The shared environment can rapidly accelerate this learning.
So what does the future hold for IT help desk jobs and the wider IT industry? This remains uncertain. The benefits of fully remote working are fantastic for many, but to some extent limiting.
Do people want an isolated working experience forever? Fully remote work is new and so for many employees seems desirable now. But the question remains, moving forward will people start to want a shared experience when working that includes feeling close to colleagues, having work friends, sharing social experiences with these friends, and hence developing a more involved work-life? It is possible that this may be the case. Only time will tell!
If you are an IT technical professional looking for a new role or a potential client looking to recruit IT Help Desk or Service Desk professionals, we can help you.
Get in touch by emailing us at contact@tsrltd.co.uk or calling us on 020 3837 9180. We look forward to speaking with you!