As technology continues to become more integrated into everyday life and work, companies are increasingly looking for employees who have a basic level of technology competency, meaning they understand how to use the tools they need to get their work done and understand the underlying technology and how it works.
While the IT department should be available to help handle any major issues, HR and people managers need to ensure all staff have basic technological competencies and access to the training and resources required to make sure they use the technology efficiently and effectively.
Basic Troubleshooting Skills
All employees should be able to troubleshoot basic computer problems on their own, including recognizing when a program is not working correctly and having some idea of how to fix it—for example, restarting the computer or uninstalling and reinstalling a program. Having these skills will not only save time but also give employees a sense of confidence when using technology.
Internet/E-Mail Literacy
Most organizations require their employees to use e-mail and other forms of electronic communication to communicate with colleagues, customers, vendors, and partners. Consequently, all employees should possess at least a basic understanding of how e-mail works and how to use it effectively.
Furthermore, most workers will need access to the Internet to do research or find information related to their job functions. Knowing how to use search engines effectively is therefore essential for finding relevant and valid information quickly.
Software Familiarity
Employees may be expected to know how to use certain software programs specific to their job function or organization’s needs. While IT support teams exist for more complex tasks such as designing custom databases or writing code for an application, most employees will need basic knowledge about popular programs like Microsoft® Office or Adobe® products in order to perform daily tasks efficiently and accurately. Understanding the fundamentals of file management (saving files properly) is also essential so important documents don’t get lost due to a lack of organization on users’ computers or hard drives.
Technology is an integral part of almost every job today, so it’s important that all employees have at least a basic understanding of how computers work and how different software programs operate for them to do their work efficiently and accurately. Employers should make sure new hires have these fundamental tech skills before they are brought on board and that existing employees can improve upon their skills through training sessions offered by IT departments or online resources like Lynda or Coursera.
Lin Grensing-Pophal is a Contributing Editor at HR Daily Advisor.