Ongoing technology training for employees offers a variety of benefits. You may relate employee training to topics such as customer service, workplace harassment, ethics, and safety. But, with the ever-evolving technological advancements and fast-paced adoption of technologies post-pandemic, it’s time to include business software and technical skills to your employee training program.
You’re thinking, “We haven’t changed our programs or systems, so why do we need training?” Good question. According to a research report by CoreView, an average of 56% of a business’s Microsoft Office 365 licenses are inactive, underutilized, oversized or unassigned.” It’s no surprise that Microsoft Office is the most commonly used software app of customers and businesses. If the average business employee is underutilizing this long-established and highly adopted program, consider what the underutilization rate is of your other company systems. Likely, it’s very high, and as a result, it’s costing you money.
Initial Software Training Isn’t Enough
Why aren’t your employees making the most of the tools you’ve provided? In most cases, it comes down to a lack of training. When a new software system is introduced, businesses often hold an initial one- to three-hour training session spread over a few days.
This may seem like a big investment of time and should deliver strong results. However, it’s unrealistic to assume that employees become expert users right away. Learning the basics in a short session is not enough.
“It’s not going to happen overnight. It usually takes six months or more to develop a new skill,” says Joseph Weintraub, professor of management and organizational behavior at Babson College and coauthor of The Coaching Manager: Developing Top Talent in Business.
Break Down Technology Barriers For Your Employees
An ongoing training and software management policy is imperative to ensure your business is getting the most out of your technology investments. When asked to select what barriers to using legal technologies exist at their organizations, respondents to Bloomberg Law’s 2021 Legal Technology Survey indicated that the top obstacles are a lack of tech savvy, a lack of familiarity with available technology, and not enough time to learn technology. The survey also found that those who have logged more training time were three times more likely to report having no barriers than those with less than one hour of training. The key to knocking down the technology barriers in your business is to start with a strong initial training, followed by subsequent trainings over the next six (6) to twelve (12) months. This ensures that your employee’s learning goes beyond understanding basic functions and expands to implementing best practices that uniquely fits the needs of your organization.
Benefits of an Ongoing Technology Training Program
Still unsure if a technology training program is necessary for your business? Here are five (5) reasons you need to do it:
- Increased Security
Shadow IT using systems or apps without IT approval—poses serious risks like data leaks and compliance violations. Employees often turn to these tools to work faster, but if IT doesn’t know about them, they can’t secure or support them. This leaves business and customer data exposed.
- Maximize Your Return on Investment (ROI) From Your Technology Systems
Without proper training, employees may underuse systems or ignore built-in tools, like Microsoft Office 365’s integrated apps. Lack of awareness can lead to buying duplicate software, reducing your technology ROI.
- Maintain Employee Knowledge
Ongoing training preserves valuable know-how and ensures it’s not locked within one person. Skilled employees can share best practices, boosting efficiency across the organization while increasing their own sense of purpose
- Increased Employee Morale
Training empowers staff to use tools effectively. With better skills, they feel more confident, valued, and equipped—leading to higher satisfaction and retention.
- Increased Competitive Advantage
Proficient, motivated employees deliver better results, creating happier customers and improved productivity. This efficiency strengthens your bottom line and keeps you ahead of competitors who may have similar tools but lack optimized usage.
A well-implemented training program protects your business, maximizes your technology investment, builds team confidence, and gives you an edge in the market.
Take Control of the Technology in Your Business Today
The world has evolved greatly over the last few years. Technology, and the way it’s used, has evolved with it. If you are not looking for ways to improve your business processes and procedures, whether it’s to improve the usage of your existing tech or seeking to implement new, you’re leaving money on the table and giving your competitors an opportunity to get ahead. Don’t wait, start planning your ongoing technology training program now.
Circle Management Group’s Consulting and Training Assistance
We believe in partnering with legal firms, corporations, and government organizations to fully understand their needs prior to providing any software solutions or training program advice. As an unbiased, vendor-agnostic consulting firm, Circle Management Group seeks to understand before seeking to solve. Individually and collectively, our team of professionals boasts decades of tech experience which uniquely qualifies us to evaluate your tech stack and tech training programs. Our philosophy ensures you receive custom solutions with your best interests in mind.
Learn how Circle Management Group can help — contact us today!