The gap between IT and the rest of us has turned into a cavern as IT has become more and more intertwined with our daily lives.  In this clip from the British version of  The Office, the tension comes from lack of communication and understanding.   The computer is often our only way of actually working so it can become a very sensitive issue.

From a management perspective, and employee perspective, and from an IT perspective better relationships would improve productivity, full stop.

Here are five tips to get your office started:

1.)  Even the Dress Code

Why does the IT guy get to wear a t-shirt and jeans while everyone else has to be in business casual.  Encourage an even playing field when it comes to dress code.  The IT guy may not like it, but explain that this will enable him or her to fit into the culture of the company and ultimately make the job easier.  Obviously this is a management decision and one for management to implement.

2.)  Get to Know the Lingo

Knowing a little bit about computers, viruses, programs, downloads, etc. is going to help with communication and understanding.  Gone are the days when computers are a special thing that only special people know about.  You work with a tool every day so get to know its basic functions.

3.)  Hold an IT Summit

Having everyone meet to discuss the IT needs of an office as well as to find out about IT’s plans for an office is a good idea.  This is a chance to exchange ideas and convey information.  Be sure to make this a two-way street, however, so it doesn’t turn into a complaint session that could have IT running for the hills.

4.)  Don’t Download Stupid Stuff

We all use computers for personal purposes, but don’t make an IT guy’s life harder by downloading hundreds of apps and files from random sources.  Ask if about installing software before you do it.  Even something that may seem harmless can bog down your computer with Spyware.

5.)  Don’t Let IT Dictate Every IT Move

At times it can seem that IT can be overly protective.  Banning social media sites, for example, for fear of viruses.  There are certainly risks out there to computers from various sources.  Have IT appraise those risks and weigh them against benefits.  For an office involved in communication or marketing, for example, social media is not just a personal toy, it’s a vital component of communications.

So this could be the shortest post in the history of The Job Shopper:  ban Blackberries in meetings.

There, I said it.  Well, a lot of people have said it.  There’s a whole New York Times article about it. Here’s a quote that kind of sums up the signal that tapping sends:

It’s a not-so-subtle way of signaling ‘I’m connected. I’m busy. I’m important. And if this meeting doesn’t hold my interest, I’ve got 10 other things I can do instead.

But what does Blackberry or iPhone use really mean?  We can talk about changing cultural mores, scold rude people, lament the passage of time and pine for a day when people wore hats, but are we really getting at the reason why people are tapping away during meetings?  Is it possible that it’s not the technology, or ego, but the meeting itself?  Your meeting?

Making your meetings Blackberry-proof is impossible, but here are 5 things to cure both the symptoms and the root cause.

1.) Keep it short

In the last post I championed the short, fast presentation. That may well be part of it.  If someone knows that you’re going to drone on and on for an hour, taking 15 minutes to check emails seems doable.  Even if they get only 50% of what you say, that’s a half hour of time.    The reasoning is that if you’re going to take an hour, they’ll only give you a half hour.

2.) Create Time Limits

Revealing your time limits will help set people at ease.  “I’m going to talk for 10 minutes and then give you 10 minutes to ask me questions.”  That tells people that they’ll be back at their desks in 20 minutes.  Most emails can wait.

3.)  Invite Only

You don’t have to invite everyone to a meeting.  Inviting people who have no skin in the game and are there just to observe is like inviting a giant Blackberry into the room.  If someone doesn’t need to be in your meeting, don’t invite them.  And if they spent the whole meeting tapping away, consider not inviting them next time.

4.)  Be Up Front

Many companies ban Blackberries and iPhones during meetings.  The problem with this is that it holds people hostage rather than really engaging them.  If you’re up front and say:  “Look, I need your full attention on this for just 15 minutes.  I’d appreciate if you could hold off on responding to emails during that time.”  You’re not banning it, but just making a human appeal.

5.)  Give In

There are some meetings that are going to last a long time.  Telling people that they’re in this for the long haul and checking email is perfectly OK, and it may just diffuse the situation.  You’re still in control of the situation because you’ve given permission and blackberry usage won’t be as distracting for others.

So why go through all this?  Why not just ban them from your meeting?  The problem with bans, is that they just encourage us to break the rules and further adds to the mystique of being ‘too important to miss an email.’  Instead, look at ways that you can structure meetings to engage the right people, for a short period of time and let them get on with their day.

Creating a unique work environment is a careful balance between how you see your job and career, and how the rest of the office sees you. While you may work well in an atmosphere of controlled chaos, someone may look at your organization and leadership skills with a dubious eye if every surface of your desk is strewn with paper and take-out containers.

Desktops are wildly different depending on your profession, but here’s a general rule of thumb: Create a space that makes you feel comfortable and confident. But also create one that makes others feel the same way about you.

Peggy Klaus trains professionals worldwide at leading companies that include Credit Suisse, Disney, UNICEF, and Kaiser Permanente. Author of BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It, she is regularly featured in a wide range of media including the Today Show, 20/20, BusinessWeek, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and O Magazine. Klaus has lectured at Harvard; the University of California, Berkeley; and Wharton.

Her talk on Recession-Proofing Your Career covers recession-proofing mistakes, looking at your hard skills and soft skills, managing up, and the art of self-promotion.  While Klaus is focusing on the recession here in the title, this is all good advice in any economy.  She also talks about the politics of most offices and how to operate within them.

This is just a clip but you can view the entire video here thanks to fora.tv.