The face of modern-day working has changed incredibly over the last decade, and even more so now after COVID-19 has taken the world by storm. In the last decade, there has been a noted explosion of the number of tech companies that have emerged and developed globally.
In fact, this is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the world. The industry has seen a 27.3% growth from 2018 to 2019, and this is not expected to slow down anytime soon. Increased demand for tech products and services has seen a boom in the number of newly formed companies. eCommerce has been one of the biggest drivers of tech growth due to the fact that online retailers work hand-in-hand with tech companies to fulfill their services.
So, if you are looking for a career in tech, and want to join a company, now is the right time. Because the tech world is so different from most other industries, we thought we would take a look at what you can expect working in a tech company, and how you can easily settle into your new environment.
Security is Incredibly Important
The first thing you need to know about working for a tech company, especially a start-up, is the fact that they take the protection of all information, data, and processes very seriously. Start-ups and tech companies, in particular, are very prone to cyber-attacks. So, cybersecurity is usually a very big deal for these companies.
You will need to get used to having various restrictions in place when it comes to certain aspects of the business. If you have not been hired to work directly in the server room, or IT department, you probably won’t have access to it.
Many of these companies exercise access control and expect their employees to have some sort of identification, especially for restricted areas. ID tags hung from lanyards are usually standard in a tech company, and you will usually be provided with some form of security tag to enter the facilities.
Team Communication is Usually Different
Working for a tech company, you can usually expect the whole company to be utilizing the latest tools and software to conduct business, communicate and engage with clients. There are hundreds of thousands of online tools to ensure a company functions optimally.
Instant communication between team members and even between various departments is key. Instant messaging tools are essential, as are task management and progress monitoring tools.
You will notice fairly quickly that the usual sit-down, face to face meetings in a tech company are usually not as frequent as they would be in another industry, and a lot of the communication is carried out continuously over instant messaging or even video calls. This is especially even more true during COVID-19, and is expected to become a new norm going forward.
Remote Working is a Reality
Remote working has, over the years, become more and more popular among companies globally, especially due to what has been mentioned previously. The ease of communication and streamlining of technology to efficiently operate mostly online has meant that there is no need for employees to go into the office every day.
In fact, some of the largest tech companies in the world have shifted their policies to a work-from-home framework. Facebook, Shopify, Twitter and Amazon have, in the face of COVID-19, instituted a work-from-home policy which will remain in place permanently once restrictions start to ease.
Research has shown a mind-blowing spike in employees working from home. In fact, in 2017, only 3% of employees in the US worked from home. Today, that number has skyrocketed to over 60%, and it looks as if it will stay that way. With productivity actually increasing among employees and the ease of working from home, this will certainly be the new norm.
The Workload Can Be Varied and Heavy
The fact is that the tech world is in a constant state of evolution. New tech is being developed on a daily basis and it keeps evolving. Processes and techniques are being pivoted and all in all, it is a very agile environment.
You will need to be incredibly adaptable to the environment around you, and be prepared to constantly stay on top of changes to software, processes, new tools and new ways of doing your job.
If you are working for a start-up, you will most likely be asked to manage more than that one role, and as the need for a new process is introduced, you may be asked to head up the new project. A great tip is to constantly have your finger on the pulse of new technology and processes. There are YouTube videos and instructional, how-to videos for almost everything, so take the time to teach yourself and be prepared to wear more than one hat in the company.
There is Generally A More Casual Working Environment
One of the first things that people think of when they think of a tech company is how laid back they usually are. You think of the ping pong tables, the bean bag rooms, the coffee hubs, the think tank rooms, and the dev team all wearing shorts and sandals to work. Corporate giants like Google, Twitter and Facebook do encourage this type of working environment as they believe it sparks a large amount of creativity and increases productivity among the staff members.
The casual dressing was usually restricted to Fridays only, but over the last few years, every-day casual wear has jumped from 35% of companies to over 50%. With remote working, this number looks to increase even further over the next few years.
However, if you are coming from a very formal, corporate background, it could get some getting used to. Employees shifting to a more casual position reported struggling to shift their mindset and found it challenging to maintain productivity levels for the first few days. However, within two weeks, most were able to adapt and settled in their new way of working.
Last Thoughts
The world had seemed primed to shift to a new way of working pre-COVID-19 and has almost just been pushed to adapt entirely. Working for a tech company can be challenging and you could find yourself working long hours. However, you will usually find yourself heading up exciting new projects and making strides in the world of new tech. Keep learning and being up-to-date with the world around you and you will thrive.
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