It goes without saying, that providing on the job training will support your staff members to be able to do their jobs effectively.
But businesses are looking for more than just effectiveness, they are also looking for productivity.
Being effective is having the ability to reach a desired result. While being productive is the ability to increase outputs with decreased inputs. For example, completing tasks in optimal time frames.
You can be effective in your role, but not productive. It may take you longer to complete a task and as a result, consume more time and increase costs.
Having the ability to be effective is one thing, but being productive in completely tasks is a sought-after skill.
So, how can staff training support your staff to increase their productivity?
In factories, assembly lines are adopted to improve productivity and increase products produced per hour while meeting strict budgets.
Overtime, technologies have been introduced to continue to improve productivity and decrease production costs.
In this example, the training and development of processes, for both people and machines, improved productivity.
Now, we are not suggesting that you go and create an assembly line; however, it is important to identify that people and machines, when working harmoniously together, have a direct correlation with productivity.
People and Machines in the Workplace
Before we continue, let’s define machines in the context of this article: a computer and its applications and/or hardware.
You may work in a workplace with heavy machinery or in an office with laptops, desktops and multiple displays. Regardless, there is a common denominator: they all require software systems to effectively run.
Therefore, it is vital for people to understand how to effectively use said software systems to have the ability to become more productive in their roles.
Software productivity
In an office, staff are required to compile project reports in Microsoft Word, analyse monthly performance data in Microsoft Excel and present progress in Microsoft PowerPoint, plus many more tasks.
Each of these tasks are required to be submitted at the end of the month by the respected managers. If these managers do not know how to effectively use Microsoft, the time spent on each task will increase. Naturally, this will decrease productivity and increase costs.
In the above example, it is clear that providing training sessions in how to effectively use Microsoft is a key development area that has a direct impact with productivity.
Increase productivity through training
Continuing with the above example, the type of training required should not focus on how to create a new document or insert a new chart. These are skills that your staff already have and can effectively achieve.
The focus is to be able to work harmoniously with machines (e.g., the computer) by utilising its strengths that improve productivity.
For example, how many shortcuts do you know how to use in Microsoft Word?
Did you know that there is a Paste Special shortcut key?
This means that when you are copying and pasting text from different sources you can choose to either match formatting or maintain formatting simply by using two key-strokes.
Do you know how much time that will save? Arguably a million minutes!
Training staff in vital skills, such as effective use of software platforms used for everyday tasks, will improve productivity in your business.
Bonus training activity you can send to your staff
How to use the paste special feature in Microsoft Word with keyboard shortcuts
With the text already copied to your clipboard:
1. Hold Ctrl + Press V
This will paste the text from the clipboard and match the formatting in the
document you are working in. No more time wasted reformatting text manually!
Additionally, without doing anything else by pressing Ctrl again you will have access to all the paste special options. For example, again with the text already copied to your clipboard:
1. Hold Ctrl + Press V
2. Then Press Ctrl then:
a. Press K to Keep Source Formatting
b. Press M to Merge Formatting
c. Press U to paste an Image
d. Press T to Keep Text Only (move any formatting)
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