Long gone are the days when you could have one IT specialist who would fix everyone's computer-related problems and repeatedly help someone send an attachment via email. Today, every employee needs to be able to stand on their own two feet with regards to relevant technology. You can help them. Here are some reasons to get all of your employees trained to at least some standard of IT knowledge. 

Low Levels of IT Knowledge Hinder Productivity

Productivity goes way down when you have employees who are struggling to figure out basic IT requirements for doing their work. If someone is really slow at using their email program or they don't really get how to use a basic software package your company uses, it is wasting your time. That is especially unfortunate if this employee is a specialist who is making the big bucks to fiddle around with their Gmail account. 

Aside from that, employees who lack IT knowledge might repeatedly ask for help with basic tasks, such as using a Word program. They are taking time away from other employees by making these requests rather than learning the basic knowledge themselves. 

Mistakes Can Be Made (And Covered Up)

If employees don't have decent computer skills, they may not understand how to use accounting, sales management, or other software programs that they are expected to know as part of their jobs. Employees who don't have very strong computer skills may be embarrassed about this and cover up errors they make that could affect your data collection or other projects. Employees might not know they messed up a database if their skills are very low. Employees might do portions of their jobs incorrectly and not realize it if they are struggling to use software. When employees make basic errors with regards to network safety, they could download a virus or take another action that compromises your business' data security. .

How to Solve the Problem

There is a simple solution to this problem: make sure that all employees have a solid set of core IT knowledge. IT training courses, like those offered through companies like SyLearn, can cover basic programs, computer skills, data entry, and other skills that you would expect employees to know. Don't just expect that everyone has this knowledge; many people don't. Work with your IT specialist to find the most gentle ways to assess people's skills and deliver relevant training modules to employees who need them. 

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