Although many financial services IT directors are under
pressure and display symptoms of stress, most want to stay in
IT.
That was the finding by Julie Hurst, director of the
Nottingham-based Work Life Balance Centre, who conducted a series
of one-to-one work/life coaching sessions with IT directors at the
City IT conference.
"There is pressure on IT departments and everyone seems to be
clamouring for IT directors' time, but the problems they face are
indistinguishable from people in responsible positions in every
sector," she said.
The specific issue for IT directors stemmed in part from their
enjoyment of their job, which means they get sucked into giving
everything to it, said Hurst.
"They took their job first and themselves last. Health cropped
up a lot. Not many were taking breaks. I recommended reinstating
the lunch break and taking breaks in the day," she said.
The problem for some was a gradual escalation of work. "In
general it is a slow-burn situation; an extra hour here and there
becomes a habit," said Hurst.
Most tried not to take work home, but many of the IT directors
Hurst talked to had not realised the toll stress and overwork was
taking on their home life. "They had not made the connection until
they started to think," she said.
Hurst aims to help her clients gain a better work/life balance.
"The main change is that people take care of their energy levels,
and make sure they constrain their working day to sustain them
rather than grind them down," she said. "They need to recreate the
buzz they get at work in other areas of their lives."