Blue Collar

"How we look and act speaks volumes." - Bryce's Law

"Are IT blue collar?" Interesting question. I was recently asked this by some executives who were concerned with improving the productivity of their IT services. I asked them to explain why they felt this way . They supported their IT staff (eg, analysts and programmers) are a large number of blue collar characteristics, for example, the repetitive types of work, they do not dress or act like professionals and regularly punch in and out of work with little interest beyond the call of duty.

I replied that there were two other aspects to consider: First, blue-collar workers tend to perform manual labor, and, secondly, they are workers who are paid an hourly nonexempt. In addition, they tend to be less educated than white collar.

They told me I was naive, blue-collar workers can perform technical tasks and manual tasks, such as those found in manufacturing and assembly, and although they are considered workers wages exempt, they tend to behave as hourly employees instead. In addition, there are many blue collar workers who were just as educated, if not more, that many programmers and analysts on their staff. An officer went so far as to say a couple of craftsman machinists he had with an MBA.

Frankly, I struggled to refute their arguments. It's actually an old concept, that I have not heard from in a while, back to the 1980s when we speak of programmers to organize. However, it should make us pause and reflect on the ways people are treated in the boardroom. For me, it suggests a credibility gap between management and computer and helps explain why many jobs are outsourced.

These past years I have met many people who have left the business and IT shops have opted to become consultants instead. Not that they did not like their companies, they have simply been disappointed by how the departments have been running, read the writing on the wall, and it was time to bail before they were entrusted. So who is at fault, management and computers? If management perceives it really blue collar workers, that there will be a great temptation to give jobs to overseas stores at significantly reduced costs.

There are those in the IT industry believe that unionization is the way forward. In my case, it would be the kiss of death now IT shops that executives prefer to outsource than to be hostage to a union.

Instead, I believe that workers should make an introspection and ask themselves how they can differentiate themselves from their foreign counterparts. Technical knowledge alone will not do any longer. Outsourcers have already demonstrated their technical skills are on an equal footing with ours. No, the answer is that they must demonstrate how the IT department adds more value to the company than from outside can. This means they must become more serious in their work and produce better solutions more quickly, accurately and at lower cost. Anyone can apply quick and dirty solution Band-Aid. What is needed is a higher caliber of professionalism and improved management skills. IT workers must work both harder and smarter. In other words, the allocation of tasks should be conducted in a more professional and craftsman-like (methodically, with an awareness of quality). This requires a more disciplined, organized, and professional attitude that is the exception rather than the rule in many stores today.

If we can demonstrate that they behave more like white-collar executives and their dependents will be less likely to outsource their jobs. Ideally, you want to hear executives say, "I can not live withou.