Are Basic Computer Skills Still Needed?

Proficiency with computer skills and technology is increasingly important in today’s workplace. As we rely more on software, it’s necessary to have a training program that helps employees develop baseline computer skills and stay on top of evolving skills needed for new software.

Employees today rely on their computers for a variety of tasks: sending emails, basic calculations, online learning, and communication.

A lot of jobs also require familiarity with a variety of software; teaching employees to navigate products like Microsoft Office or the Adobe Suite is necessary for many job roles.

Because computers are so commonplace in most organizations, and because software exists that makes almost any task easier and more efficient, teaching computer skills from beginner to advanced will ensure your organization is operating at peak efficiency.

Evolving Software for the Digital Workplace

Out-of-Date Computer Skills Impact Business Results

Because of the internet and the increased accessibility it offers, conducting business today means navigating through more competition than ever before. Our globalized economy means the most creative use of technology often wins.

Staying competitive in any industry requires a workforce that can quickly adapt to new innovations and outsmart the competition. When employees don’t understand the full capabilities of the technology at their disposal, it affects their team’s results, their department’s results, and ultimately, the company’s results.

This causes companies to over invest in more solutions to help overcome challenges that might be fixed with existing software – not only do poor computer skills lower revenue, they also increase expenses.

The good news for proactive companies is that training on these skills is fast and effective. Most tasks can be learned with on-demand training; an employee who needs to quickly craft a pivot table can learn how in a few minutes with an online video.

Why Off-the-Shelf Content Works Best for Developing Digital Skills

Since most business software is licensed through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, updates happen frequently. Creating custom content to help employees understand the changes and benefits of each Microsoft Office update would be a ludicrous proposition.

Content that is up-to-date but also continuously curated alleviates that need, because working with a trusted third-party content provider means you don’t need to worry if employees are getting the right information.

The BizLibrary Collection has over 2,600 titles that are easy to search and specific to common problems with computer skills – an employee can learn to book a conference room in Outlook in under a minute through our content.

Microlearning lends itself to developing desktop computing skills – most tasks can be taught in the moment, and accessibility on any device means employees can easily access high quality information.

Video also allows learners to self-pace and observe the exact processes they need to learn in order to replicate a task immediately.

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Build a Comprehensive Development Program

Focusing on developing computer skills is a great place to start a new training program, and getting learners used to turning to an LMS and high-quality, online training content helps open the door for more employee development.

By starting with computer skills, there can be a strong, organic transition to developing employees in a variety of areas. With a robust content library, it’s easy to implement training that will help your employees improve their business skills across the board.

What Does High Quality Computer Skills Training Look Like?

Here are a few examples from The BizLibrary Collection to demonstrate what engaging computer skills and software training should look like.

These videos are short, concise, and effective!