You've seen them by the coffee machine, or maybe you've ridden in the elevator together once or twice. Every now and then you have to call on one of them to fix your computer. You refer to them collectively as "techies," but how well do you really know the IT (information technology) workers in your own office?

If the answer is "not very well," then you're not alone. The truth is, a divide exists in many offices between the IT department and the rest of the staff. Besides damaging morale, this divide may actually prevent your company from running as well as it should. What does this divide consist of, and how can it be bridged?

A cultural barrier

According to a software engineer at bigchalk.com, a "cultural barrier" exists between techies and everyone else in the office. This barrier includes everything from different hours and different cubicle sizes ("sales has low cube walls, and our cubes are too high to see over") to different ways of doing things. "IT people are just different types of people than sales folks," says this bigchalk.com techie. "I never talk to people in sales, but I wouldn't go out of my way to talk to a veterinarian, either." ~

Cubicle communication

The physical structure of an office can go far to help or hinder relations between techies and non-techies. At bigchalk.com's Philadelphia offices, the IT department is on the other side of the building from the HR, sales, and marketing departments. Such physical barriers would prevent even an outgoing IT employee from getting to know people in the departments that are across the office. Says one tech employee, "there's no reason for any of us to talk to anyone in customer service? they're way over on the other side."

Alternatively, a company that makes an effort to integrate its IT departments with the rest of the staff might see positive results for office dynamics. At Forbes, for instance, IT employees are interspersed among all the other departments. Andrew Gillies, a researcher at Forbes, suggests that this integration is one of the reasons that techies and non-techies have a good relationship in the office. "I think the fact of being in the same area reduces the 'us versus them' problem that techie and non-techie people often suffer from," says Gillies.

People skills -- or lack thereof

The problems are not due solely to the layout of an office, however. One employee at a New York-based dot-com says her office reminds her of a "high school cafeteria. You stick to your own table and leave the nerds to play Dungeons and Dragons." She suggests that the divide between IT and other departments may be due to a cultural difference as well as a communication problem. "There's the whole stereotype about tech workers being mostly foreigners who don't speak English well. They're hired for their tech skills, not for their people skills." ~

Indeed, it is often the lack of "people skills" that causes a rift between techies and non-techies. Techies are notorious for using too much technical jargon and for giving overly complex explanations when there is a computer problem. On the other hand, a non-techie's lack of computer savvy can be a source of frustration for techies.

Server stress

Another cause of the problem may be the stress level associated with an IT job. At dot-coms, where the success of the company rides on the ability of IT to keep servers running and programs functioning, IT employees may be too stressed out to focus on getting along well with their colleagues.

"When there's a technical problem, you can't help but point the finger at IT," says a dot-com editor, who prefers to remain anonymous. "I think they feel a lot of pressure when the systems shut down."

Gillies points to this difference as another key reason why employees get along in his office. "Our IT people are definitely busy, but I don't get the sense that they are overwhelmed or constantly being bombarded with requests or complaints," says Gillies. "It definitely makes a difference." ~

Bridging the gap

Some companies are taking steps to bridge the gap between tech employees and the technologically challenged. Google.com offers its employees free, gourmet daily lunches, not just to boost company morale, but also to bring techies and non-techies together in a friendly and relaxed setting. At iKimbo Inc., a start-up software provider, foosball and ping-pong are not just games but strategic tools for engaging techies and non-techies in friendly competition.

Other companies follow a more traditional route to helping IT work with other departments: they hire a go-between who understands technical jargon and business strategies, and who can serve as a liaison between departments. Joyce Bell fills this roll at bigchalk.com, and she thinks it helps to break down communication barriers. "I know how to speak to the technical side, and I can also speak to the non-technical side," says Bell. "I've kind of become an interpreter for both sides."

If a company hasn't taken any steps to smooth relations between techies and non-techies, it's up to the employees themselves. So don't be shy! Says Bell, "if you're not a tech person you really have to become involved and start talking to [techies] one on one or they won't even bother with you." If you have the courage to make that move, you're likely to reap the benefits right away. Says one dot-commer, "I figured out that if you make friends with techies, they can make your lives a lot easier!"