In the world of IT, downtime can feel like a mythical creature—rare, elusive, and often spotted only in the wild imaginations of tech managers. But when it does happen, it’s important for techs to use that time wisely. Instead of twiddling their thumbs or debating the finer points of Star Wars vs. Star Trek, why not channel that energy into something more productive? Here are ten creative ways techs can use their downtime to boost their skills, contribute to the tech community, and maybe even become the office hero.
Contribute to Open Source Projects
Picture this: your techs are sitting around, and someone suggests they dive into an open-source project. Before you know it, they’re fixing bugs, writing new code, or improving documentation for a cool project on GitHub. Not only does this sharpen their coding skills, but it also gives them some serious street cred in the developer community. Who doesn’t want to be the tech equivalent of a rock star?
Potential Risks:
- Conflict of Interest: A tech might, in their eagerness, use proprietary knowledge or even snippets of code from the MSP in their contributions to the open-source project.
- Time Management Issues: The tech could become so engrossed in the project that they forget their day job.
How to Mitigate: Set clear guidelines about what can and cannot be shared in open-source contributions. Encourage techs to check with a manager before diving into any major changes. Also, remind them gently (or with a Nerf gun) that their MSP work takes priority.
Engage in Online Tech Communities
Your techs are active in forums like Stack Overflow or tech-related subreddits, helping others solve problems, or learning new tricks. It’s like being part of a giant global tech support team—minus the angry customers and panicked phone calls.
Potential Risks:
- Burnout: Too much time solving other people’s problems could lead to burnout, especially if techs feel they must respond to every question they come across.
- Distraction: They might get too caught up in a heated debate over the best programming language (we all know it’s Python, but try telling them that).
How to Mitigate: Encourage techs to set boundaries and take breaks. Make sure they know it’s okay to step back from the online fray and focus on their own learning. Also, remind them that while arguing over tabs vs. spaces is fun, it won’t solve the world’s real problems.
Pursue Industry Certifications
Downtime is perfect for studying for that AWS or CompTIA certification. Techs can use quiet moments to dive into online courses or study guides. Bonus: certifications make them look like total pros on LinkedIn.
Potential Risks:
- Study Overload: Cramming too much information in a short period could lead to stress or burnout.
- Neglect of Immediate Duties: Techs might prioritize certification prep over their day-to-day tasks.
How to Mitigate: Create a balanced study schedule that allows techs to prep for exams without sacrificing their regular work. Offer support and resources like paid courses or practice tests. And maybe keep a stash of energy drinks on hand—studying is hard work!
Develop and Share Knowledge Base Articles
Imagine your techs taking time to write or update internal documentation and knowledge base articles. This helps streamline processes and ensures that when the next big crisis hits, there’s a handy guide to follow—no more relying on Bill’s “secret” sticky notes.
Potential Risks:
- Outdated Information: If techs don’t regularly update these articles, they could end up with outdated or incorrect information.
- Overly Technical Jargon: Articles might become filled with so much jargon that only the tech who wrote them can understand them.
How to Mitigate: Schedule regular reviews of knowledge base content to ensure accuracy. Encourage techs to write in plain English (or as close to it as possible). Remember, if a non-techie can’t understand it, it’s probably too complicated.
Build a Home Lab
Techs use downtime to build their own home lab environments. This might mean setting up virtual machines, experimenting with new software, or even creating their own little “Skynet”—just kidding! (We hope.)
Potential Risks:
- Security Concerns: Experimenting with new tools or software could introduce security risks if not done in a controlled environment.
- Cost of Equipment: If techs get too enthusiastic, they might start ordering expensive gear for their home labs.
How to Mitigate: Provide guidelines on safe experimentation practices and ensure that home labs are isolated from the corporate network. Set a reasonable budget for any equipment needs. And maybe remind them that creating an AI overlord is strictly against company policy.
Participate in Hackathons or Coding Challenges
A tech discovers an online coding challenge or hackathon and decides to join in. They spend a few hours solving puzzles or building mini-projects, sharpening their skills, and maybe even winning a prize or two. Who knew downtime could be so lucrative?
Potential Risks:
- Excessive Time Investment: Hackathons and coding challenges can be addictive, leading techs to spend too much time on them.
- Competitive Stress: The competitive nature of these events could lead to stress or frustration if things don’t go well.
How to Mitigate: Encourage techs to participate in moderation and to remember that these activities should be fun and educational, not stress-inducing. Consider organizing an internal hackathon with team prizes to keep the competition friendly.
Learn a New Programming Language or Framework
A tech decides to learn Rust or Go during their downtime, setting up a series of small projects to master the basics. They come out of it not only with new skills but with a newfound confidence in their coding chops.
Potential Risks:
- Neglecting Core Responsibilities: A tech might focus too much on learning new skills and neglect their current responsibilities.
- Overwhelm: Learning too much too quickly can lead to feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.
How to Mitigate: Set realistic learning goals and milestones. Make sure techs know they can pace themselves and that it’s okay to take breaks. Also, remind them that slow and steady wins the race (unless it’s an actual race, in which case, go faster).
Contribute to Technical Blogs or Create Tutorials
Techs use their downtime to write blog posts or create video tutorials on topics they are passionate about, sharing their knowledge with a wider audience. This can help establish them as thought leaders—and make them famous among their peers.
Potential Risks:
- Revealing Sensitive Information: A tech might accidentally disclose sensitive company information in a blog or tutorial.
- Reputation Risk: Poorly written or incorrect content could harm both the tech’s and the company’s reputation.
How to Mitigate: Implement a review process for any external content to ensure it aligns with company policies and standards. Provide resources or templates to help techs create high-quality content. And remember, spell check is your friend.
Explore New Tools and Technologies
Techs spend time exploring new software tools or technologies that could benefit the team. Whether it’s a new monitoring tool or the latest AI platform, they’re always on the lookout for something that can make life easier—or at least more interesting.
Potential Risks:
- Security Vulnerabilities: Trying out new tools without proper vetting could introduce vulnerabilities into the network.
- Shiny Object Syndrome: Techs might get too excited about new tools and forget about tried-and-true solutions.
How to Mitigate: Set up a sandbox environment for testing new tools safely. Encourage a balanced approach to tool exploration—new isn’t always better, but it’s worth checking out. And maybe keep a few Nerf darts handy to remind them to stay focused.
Join or Start a Tech Meetup Group
Techs take the initiative to join or start a tech meetup group, either locally or virtually. They network with other professionals, share knowledge, and stay motivated by engaging with the wider tech community. Plus, it’s a great excuse to order pizza on a Friday night.
Potential Risks:
- Time Commitment: Organizing or participating in meetups could take up more time than anticipated, impacting work performance.
- Conflict of Interest: Discussing company-specific challenges in public forums could risk exposing sensitive information.
How to Mitigate: Set clear expectations about time commitments and encourage techs to participate responsibly. Remind them of the importance of discretion when discussing work-related topics. And, most importantly, make sure they save you a slice of pizza.
