Working in IT is like a Formula 1 race – constant drive, adrenaline and the risk of burning out at the start. But what if you had a pit stop team ready to throw you fresh tires, fill up the tank and give you valuable tactical advice? We at OTP Bank believe that the IT specialist of the future is not a lone wolf (ouch!), but a team player. And in this article I want to share how we support specialists. I will warn you right away: everything we are doing in this direction is at the initial stage, but already with good results.

And now for our life hacks that will help you survive and thrive in the era of digital chaos

1. “Lone hero syndrome”: how to get rid of the illusion of omnipotence

You are a cool developer who can do everything. We understand you perfectly. But constantly solving difficult tasks on your own is a direct path to burnout. And what do we offer such employees?

Solution: A team of professionals who are ready to help and share their experience. Or rather, our professional guilds. These are not just places to share knowledge, but real ones “pit stops» for IT professionals. Here, colleagues find mentors who help develop new skills and colleagues who are ready to support them in a difficult situation.

2. “Syndrome of fixation”: how not to drown in routine

Are you stuck in a routine, solving the same tasks day after day? It kills creativity and motivation.

Solutions: We encourage experimentation and the search for new solutions. To do this, we suggest working on new projects and using new technologies. Our guilds are the perfect place to share ideas, get feedback, and find like-minded people. And we still have a project “Career development»thanks to which it is much easier for an employee to understand where he should go professionally. In the future, we want to introduce career counseling for those who are just thinking about a new step.

3. “Syndrome of information overload”: how not to plunge into the sea of ​​data

Are you drowning in a stream of information, articles, courses and webinars? Don’t know what to grab? You constantly read, watch educational videos.

Solution: We help to bring order in the information chaos. Our guilds regularly hold master classes and trainings on relevant topics, as well as share their knowledge and experience at internal conferences.

4. “Balance syndrome”: how not to lose yourself in work

Do you live for work, forgetting about your personal life, hobbies and rest? This means that you will run out of energy, motivation will fade and nothing will bring you pleasure anymore. And a happy employee is the most effective employee.

Solution: We have created a unique system of communities of interest, where you can find like-minded people, share your passion and just take a break from work. The IT specialist of the future is not only a high-class professional, but also a person who knows how to build connections, share knowledge and find a balance between work and personal life. We organize movie nights together, go to museums, help each other choose where to go on vacation, go to creative workshops, discuss our pets and share life hacks, participate in bike races and running marathons – we live a full life and don’t forget

Our team currently has many plans for community development. But we are already getting a good result – this is positive feedback, engaged employees, new collaborations and cross-functional cooperation, and, of course, a good mood with a positive attitude to new achievements.

We strive for professional communities to be successful – the hallmarks of successful communities are largely built around the presence of a leader and core of activists, a structure of community goals and objectives, implemented by rules and roles of participants, as well as support from management and a budget for organizing events . From this puzzle, we have already put together several communities, which have the opportunity not only to show themselves, but also to build a career in a company with the basis of such communities. Our 9 professional guilds: QA Guild, Frontend Guild, Data Governance, AI Business Boost, PO Guild, Chapter Leads, Community of Practice (CoP), Community of Optimization Champions, Design Guild.

I will note an important detail – everything we have now is thanks to the feedback of employees. Every year we conduct surveys that help us understand where to go, what to improve and develop. So further – more!