Why (and How) to Train Employees on Their Technology

Chances are, your employees aren’t going to be able to just sit down and immediately begin using your business’ technology solutions. This is one reason why employee training is an invaluable investment of time. Let’s discuss some others.

Why Might Your Employees Need Training?

Let’s start off immediately with the most obvious reason: you have a new hire, and they need to be educated on how to use the solutions your business relies on. While it may take some time to do so, this time will be less than what you’d lose if you simply left your employees to fend for themselves and figure out how to use your solutions on their own.

Even your more experienced employees will need this training. The average employee will only retain about 40 percent of what is covered during their introduction to a given topic, which makes continuing education a crucial consideration for your operational productivity. Technology also changes fairly frequently, and you should be gradually optimizing your processes to improve their efficiency.

These factors mean that your employees will likely begin using a different solution than they were initially trained on. Doesn’t it make sense to make sure they are also instructed on how to properly use it?

Training Options

Of course, there are a few different ways to go about this instruction. One common (and usually effective) means is to pair a new employee with an experienced one who knows the process. This on-the-job training not only allows practical instruction to take place, it can encourage the development of workplace camaraderie.

Alternatively, if a new technology is introduced into the workplace, your entire staff may need instruction into how to use it. Many manufacturers feature online training sessions or webinars to help reinforce that piece of technology’s potential benefits in the office. You can run these sessions as well, once you’re well acquainted with the solution yourself. If at all possible, avoid holding this training in a single, all-inclusive session. It may be better to set aside some time each week, allowing your employees to apply what they’ve learned and build up their knowledge.

Some businesses have seen success in splitting their team up into internal groups, as these groups allow employees who more readily embrace the change to assist those who don't.

What If Your Team Still Needs Help?

Of course, people are bound to forget some things over time. Instead of having your employees interrupt each other’s workflows with technology questions (or worse, issues), consider implementing an outsourced Help Desk solution. A Help Desk implementation gives your staff unlimited access to professional resources that are at the ready to efficiently resolve their needs - whether they’ve encountered a legitimate problem, or just need a hand getting something done.

OnSite I.T. can provide your business with our Help Desk services. To learn more, reach out to us at (403) 210-2927.