How to Develop a Tech Savvy Workforce

As COVID-19 once again rears its head and more and more executives begin to embrace permanent remote work, we’re bound to encounter more virtual mishaps. Calls cutting out, videos crashing, and screen share capabilities gone awry are not only a frustrating part of the day but can also be a real impediment to productivity and morale.

We’ve compiled the following strategies to help you assemble a tech-savvy workforce and overcome the obstacles remote work presents. Check out the rest of our blogs here to learn even more.

Why a tech-savvy workforce matters

It should go without saying, but a technologically literate staff is critical for any growing business, not just a tech agency. Regardless of the industry your company operates in, from time to time you will inevitably have to innovate. Something as simple as a new time reporting process, a new email server, or growth in general, will force your company and your staff to adopt some sort of new technology. Understanding basic tech principles and functions are critical to implementing change big and small.

Moreover, understanding the principles of technology can be an invaluable skill for your workforce and pay dividends in a number of different business functions. Problem-solving skills, adaptability, and the ability to work well under pressure, to name a few, are tenants of a tech-savvy workforce that can pay off.

A recent PwC report notes that 72% of office workers surveyed would prefer to work from home “at least twice a week.” Whichever way you slice it, remote work and a demand for a technologically literate workforce are here to stay.

Training for a tech-savvy workforce

If your business wants to develop a tech-savvy workforce, you must prioritize training programs that revolve around the latest trends within emerging tech. The training you used a few years ago won’t be relevant (or helpful) anymore and refusing to update will likely mean your services and solutions will fall flat compared to your competitors. Even your own staff will lose their edge. You’ll be forced to watch as your organization falls behind in profits, productivity, and value.

Following along with the latest trends can be tricky if you don’t know where to begin but is easier than you may think. First, find a reputable blog and subscribe to it so all of the latest news hits your inbox automatically. We tend to like CIO and TechCrunch, but find what works best for you! We might be a little biased, but we also highly recommend signing up for the S-NET newsletter, as well.

Show the Benefits of a tech-savvy workforce

Oftentimes, particularly when it costs money, many people adopt the “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” mentality. In many cases, there is virtue to that phrase and it’s not worthwhile to go digging around in something that, until this point, has worked just fine. We’re here to tell you once and for all that that is not the case with technology. Abandon that thought right now. Leave it at the door.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, you might still need some help getting extra buy-in from executives or decision-makers in your organization. Or, you might just need help to encourage your entire team to become tech-oriented. In this case, demonstrating the clear benefits of a tech-savvy workforce can go a long way in helping you gather support.

Remind whoever is objecting of the cycle of technology. Technology obsolescence happens in the blink of an eye. Think of how often you’re asked to update the software on your phone or computer. The same stands for technology at work. After just a year or two, you’ll find that there is likely a newer, almost certainly better, or cheaper way of doing something.

If that doesn’t work, show them how much easier it will make their day-to-day life and job responsibilities. That is the point of technology, after all. Whatever changes you implement should be beneficial enough to your team that they speak for themselves. If not, consider the true value of your proposed change. Is it really worth it?

Any technology provider worth your business should make this step extremely easy for you. Ask your sales representative for assistance in securing buy-in from decision makers and they should provide you with plenty of resources to help. If they don’t.. you might want to look for a new partner.

Gamify Tech Literacy

Gamification is a highly effective way of implementing change management while fostering greater adoption or engagement from your intended audience. We’re wired to want to play along, even if we aren’t uber-competitive by nature. That’s why simple mobile games are so addicting. Think of the number of hours you or someone you know has spent swiping candy, smashing boxes, or flapping a bird’s wings. We all love to play.

Popular examples of gamification in education include services like Duolingo and trivia games like Quiz Up or Kahoot. However you choose to incorporate gamification in your organization is up to you!

Set technology literacy benchmarks for your team and track their progress. Celebrate milestones as they come. Check this list for some more specific examples of gamification in tech.

Invest in a tech-savvy workforce

In many cases, sometimes, you just have to put your money where your mouth is. If you are dedicated to developing a tech-savvy workforce, you may have to reallocate some of your budget to support those efforts.

Services like Khan Academy, CodeAcademy, and LinkedIn Learning are just a few options to consider when looking for an effective technical training program for your team. When deciding, be sure to weigh all of your options, and clearly define your goals.

A cost-effective alternative may be to reach out to your internal IT team. When in doubt, trust your own experts! Your IT team can likely help educate your staff on basic tech literacy, providing a valuable boost to their skills.

We’re Here to Help

S-NET is here to help. Whether you’re in need of a world class cloud-based phone system, a powerful and secure SD-WAN with built-in firewall capabilities, or just resources to guide you as you support the tech literacy of your team, S-NET is Chicago’s complete cloud solution provider.