How To Treat A Coder (a Geek)
I have been thinking a lot lately about what it means to write code. What is a coder exactly? I have asked myself the question, “Why are there some companies who understand how to treat coders, and others who do not?”
A coder is someone who can speak to a computer through text. The computer understands what the coder is saying and will perform specific tasks as outlined. Think of it as any foreign language with one caveat. The language of computers is typed not spoken. In addition, it must be spoken flawlessly, or the computer will not understand.
When I think of a coder (also called a developer or programmer), I think of a journalist. Day in and day out, coders write content. This content is translated into some form of application, but it is still written.
Coders do not produce widgets on an assembly line. But they write the software that automates the robots that produce the widgets. They write the software that runs the packaging machinery for the widgets. They write the software that labels, ships, and tracks the packages the widgets are sent in.
When I thought about coders in this way, I came to a stark realization. I finally understood what made the difference between a “coder friendly” company and one that is not. Allow me to explain.
Technical vs. Non-Technical
We first must understand the differences between a technical and a non-technical company as they relate to coders. I will use easy straight forward comparisons to show what I mean. Take Google or Yahoo for example. Both are technical companies. The primary focus of their company revolves around code. You can put other companies into this same category like Digg, Facebook, ebay, and the list goes on. While one could say the focus of these companies is not technology, the fact remains that without the technology, these companies would not exist.
A non-technical company my use technology, but their primary business it not necessarily the technology. It merely uses technology to promote their business. Take ESPN for example. They have a very large presence on the Internet and use lots of great technology, but their primary business is Sports. However, if the internet were to disappear tomorrow, ESPN would still continue broadcasting and putting out their sports magazine.
Industrial Age vs Information Age
If we think back to the industrial age, how were things produced? That’s right. An assembly line. The old manufacturing plant. Quoting from one manufacturing methodology:
Manufacturing involves transforming raw materials into finished products. These products might be consumer or industrial products, or intermediate products used in further manufacture to produce consumer or industrial products. Manufacturing started as handicrafts by skilled craftsmen and has now become mainly a capital intensive activity that uses plant and machinery.
So for centuries, all of our business schools have been teaching MBAs and managers how to manage within a manufacturing setting. Raw materials in, product out. The non-technical managers try to manage coders like they are on an assembly line. This was it! The reason behind the disconnect! Non technical managers do NOT understand how to work with and treat coders. Yet companies persist in putting them in charge of the coders.
Path to Utpoia
Coders are a unique breed of individual. Most are completely happy to sit behind a flickering screen for 8-16 hours a day writing code. That is, until they feel like they are not appreciated. Most companies don’t care. They treat their employees much like manufacturing plants treat machinery. Work it to death with very little maintenance. When it breaks down, try to fix it. If it cannot be fixed, replace it. What these companies need to realize is, coders are NOT machinery.
A company who puts a technical manager in charge and offers great benefits (insurance and otherwise) to their coders is the place to work if you are looking for a salaried position. Anywhere else will be miserable. As soon as companies start to realize this, they will reduce turn over and begin to build a stronger company. This is why coders flock to companies like Google. They know how to treat the coders.
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