Your Ideal Department Environment

[mjjks]

Hope this is a right board to post.

Just curious what others think.
I'm a developer and for me an ideal environment would be a medium-sized company with about 10 people in IT dept.; supportive manager with possible tech background; and opportunity to learn new things (technology plus education) that is supported by a company.

What's your idea of an ideal environment?
Thanks

 

[SantaMufasa]

...and the most important characteristic of any ideal department environment: Management advocates telecommuting and provides the resources to be a successful telecommuter.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]

 

[mag007]

no bureaucracy for starters.

 

[Cstorms]

Simply somewhere that wants and helps you continue to learn while you help achieve excellence within the company at all times (to the best of your ability). If they recognize your efforts as well as your weaknesses with subject matter and from here grant you the resources to build your knowledge I think this is what would make a very comfortable work enviroment.. (Aside from all the $$ and bennies)

 

[mjjks]

Cstorms,
I agree 100%. I worked in such department and had a great boss. I contributed back a lot, above required, 'cause I knew that company supports growing my knowledge in addition to my paycheck. Unfortunately, company merge destroyed that.

 

[sha76]

Although I can see the attraction, I don't think I would enjoy more than the occasional day working from home. I like there being people around (I can't stand being in the office on my own either) & I do tend to go a bit stir-crazy if I don't get out the house all day. Also, I like the clear distinction between work & home. I think my ideal would be to find somewhere 5-10 minutes walk away!

"Your rock is eroding wrong." -Dogbert

 

[LadySlinger]

I personally would like to be working with at least 1 or 2 more IT people. I miss working with other IT because often I learn more by talking with them, then by just reading on a web site...plus it gives me sort of a competitive edge

In addition, I don't know if it would be my ideal, but I would like to experience working in an IT department that is run by IT rather than by business.

 

[IT4EVR]

I agree with LadySlinger wholeheartedly.

I would add to the "wish list" an environment that engenders collaboration, respect, hard work, and even fun. We lose sight that most likely we chose this career because we enjoy it.

Also, a company that fosters a real team attitude, which I see terribly lacking these days. Companies become compartmentalized into "terrains", amounting to turf wars.

 

[SQLSister]

Except for the fact that I work in a cubicle, I have pretty much the ideal work environment.

I have a boss (and his bosses are like this as well) who provides me anything I need to get the job done, who supports me to higher management, who makes his expectations clear and who leaves me alone to get my job done. Management understands that in our fast-paced environment, mistakes are made and identifying and fixing those mistakes is far more important than laying the blame.

I have co-workers who are competent and interested in getting the work done with a minimum of fuss and game playing. And I work for a company which will not keep someone who doesn't want to work hard and competently and which is extra careful in the hiring process (and pays fair market salaries with good benefits) and so attracts better workers to begin with. And they are as concerned with making sure they get people who will be team players as they are with technical competence.

I work for a company that strongly believes in customer service and believes that treating their own workers well will encourage them to treat the customers better. They believe in hiring experienced rather than entry level personnel because they are more productive for the company, cost less to train, and give a better level of service to the customer. They also want to keep workers for a long time which is why we have an extremely low turnover rate.

I work for a company in a growth industry with the resources to do lots of things that a less successful company cannot. For instance, all developers have dual monitors which is something I am now addicted to and wouldn't want to work without. They also provide coffee, tea, sodas for free to all employees.

I didn't even know this kind of company existed before coming to work here, but now I'm spoiled for anywhere else.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[Welshbird]

SQLSister - do you have any vacancies??

We too have a no-blame culture. We just don't know who's fault that is...

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[kHz]

I have co-workers who are competent and interested in getting the work done

What if your coworkers are competent and interested in getting work done, but they are always complaining about another team. They didn't do this, they didn't do that, they did that incorrectly.

And they also complain about vendor products, such as IBM storage. "Why would they do that? That is dumb."

I mean at times it gets old. I am quite certain IBM has a reason to do what they do with their storage products. IBM also has PhD's doing R&D and extensive testing.

It is quite arrogant being an end-user that you *thnik* IBM did something completely wrong - despite tens or maybe hundreds of millions of dollars spent in development.

 

[gbaughma]

SQLSister - do you have any vacancies??

Wait... I was supposed to come work for you, Fee! Remember? ;-)



Just my 2¢
"Life gets mighty precious when there's less of it to waste." -Bonnie Raitt "Nick of Time"
--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[SQLSister]

I'm not Fee! So no I don't remember.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[KenCunningham]

Oh dear. And on Valentines Day too? Hope you sent the card to the right person gbaughma!

 

[RodKnowlton]

kHz,

I agree that having coworkers that constantly carp about other teams and/or vendors subtracts from the appeal of a work environment.

I have to disagree, though, when it comes to the idea that "spending money in development" == "doing it right", and would say it's arrogant of a company to believe such a thing. As supporting evidence, see the Denver International Airport automated baggage system or Microsoft Bob, for starters.

- Rod

 

[gbaughma]

I'm not Fee! So no I don't remember.

Fee asked you (SQLSister) if you had any vacancies.

I said to Fee that I was supposed to come work for her (meaning that she couldn't go work for you).

;-)



Just my 2¢
"Life gets mighty precious when there's less of it to waste." -Bonnie Raitt "Nick of Time"
--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[monksnake]

SQLSister said:

I have a boss (and his bosses are like this as well) who provides me anything I need to get the job done, who supports me to higher management, who makes his expectations clear and who leaves me alone to get my job done. Management understands that in our fast-paced environment, mistakes are made and identifying and fixing those mistakes is far more important than laying the blame.

I have co-workers who are competent and interested in getting the work done with a minimum of fuss and game playing. And I work for a company which will not keep someone who doesn't want to work hard and competently and which is extra careful in the hiring process (and pays fair market salaries with good benefits) and so attracts better workers to begin with. And they are as concerned with making sure they get people who will be team players as they are with technical competence.

I couldn't imagine working at a place like that. My boss knows nothing about his business and since I'm bottlenecked by a lazy worker, I get to look at posts all day on Tek-Tips. Well at least it gives me time to learn about more things.



<.

 

[SQLSister]

Oh Ok gbaughma I understand what you meant now.

monksnake, I know it's hard to picture, I certainly couldn't picture an environment like this in my last job.



Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[Welshbird]

gbaughma: we have a vacancy at the moment too...

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[gbaughma]

Fee:

Don't tempt me.... it's been a rough couple of months. ;-)



Just my 2¢
"Life gets mighty precious when there's less of it to waste." -Bonnie Raitt "Nick of Time"
--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com