Once upon a time, the ability to type on a typewriter at a reasonable speed and perhaps to take shorthand were the skills needed to work in an office. Today the ability to “type” on a keyboard instead of pecking away with your index fingers is useful, but it is only the start of the key digital literacy workplace skills. To function efficiently in today’s workplace, workers need not only familiarity with many digital tools but confidence in their use and with constant upgrades to those tools. What are the key digital literacy workplace skills that workers and workplaces need to succeed? Some have to do with the attitude of those hired, and others have to do with in-house training and skill upgrades.
Comfort and Confidence in Using Digital Tools in the Workplace
In 1970 Alvin Toffler wrote in his book, Future Shock, that the workplace is changing and the rate of change is increasing. Today this insight applies to staying literate in the digital workplace. Perhaps the most important of the key digital literacy skills is being comfortable in learning to use new tools as they come online. Commonly this requires being able to integrate what a person already knows with a new digital interface, a new bit of software, and a new concept or two. Knowing and accepting that the digital workplace will keep changing and accepting this fact are keys to ongoing workplace success.
Basic, Minimal Digital Workplace Skills
An organization may have digital skill requirements for hiring but should also have training programs for new technologies or for workers who need to learn new skills. Basic digital literacy skills include knowing how to use a browser, keyboard, and mouse as well as being able to connect to the internet and to keep passwords secure.
Communication skills and security are important. All workers need to be able to send and receive emails securely, add or retrieve attachments, and effectively use social media. The ability to use search engines while understanding that some online content is not only unreliable but dangerous is critical to workplace success and security.
Depending on the nature of one’s tasks, online purchase of goods and services, setting up accounts, and filling out forms online are necessary digital literacy skills. The ability to use tutorials, FAQs and other information sources is a digital literacy skill that is common across all jobs and tasks.
A too-often-forgotten skillset is how to safely store and share data, keeping passwords secure, and maintaining anti-virus precautions. These sorts of skills need to be taught, refreshed and emphasized no matter what particular programs a worker uses or what department he or she works in.
Integrating New Technology and New Skills in the Workplace
The basic, key digital workplace literacy skills do not change, but they are a foundation upon which others are constantly being added. As new technologies become available, it is advisable to look at the necessary training from two perspectives. Do workers have all of the basic digital literacy skills? And, how are you going to teach what is needed to make use of new programs and technologies?
Helastel provides software, IT, and infrastructure consultancy, custom software solutions and development, and rescue of software projects that are in trouble. They are your ideal partner for integrating new software and new technologies into your business. Whether you need help with basic digital literacy in your business or an upgrade of digital literacy skills as you add new, advanced digital solutions. As experts at applying affordable, quick, and effective digital literacy training solutions targeted to deal with the issues that affect your business, it is easy to show customers, the time and money that you spend on upgrading and maintaining digital literacy skills in your workplace will commonly pay for itself in greater efficiency and higher profits! #DigitallyFluent