• First Reference
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Blog Signup 📨

First Reference Talks

Discussions on Human Resources, Employment Law, Payroll and Internal Controls

  • Home
  • About
  • Archives
  • Resources
  • Buy Policies
You are here: Home / Employee Relations / Does computer literacy come between your employees and their work?

By Adam Gorley | 2 Minutes Read June 5, 2012

Does computer literacy come between your employees and their work?

Image; Ambro | FreeDigitalPhotos.net
We’ve made a fair amount of noise about the generational differences in today’s workplaces. There are four generations of workers in the labour market, each with different expectations and methods of work. But in most workplaces, regardless of workers’ ages and attitudes, there is one constant: they all use the same computers. Today’s computers might be versatile enough to support various working styles, but are workers—young and old—adaptable enough to use them efficiently?

I must have been about eight when my teacher mom brought home a computer from her school for my sisters and me to use one summer in the mid-1980s. I’m comfortable with computers, usually even when they are unfamiliar, but with advancing and accelerating consumer and workplace technology, it can be difficult to maintain an understanding of basic functions, let alone to learn more advanced ones. I know I could be a more efficient computer user.

I suspect that most computer users are not specialists—programmers, software engineers, graphic or web designers, database/information managers, etc. They are general users. They use a variety of computer programs to do their jobs. They might use more than one operating system. They may have access to important, confidential or personal business information. They may have access to unsecured online documents. Do employees use search functions well? How do they manage files? Do they know whom to contact when their computer suspects a virus or malware? Do they know how to combine keyboard and mouse use to save time? Do they know any functions beyond the basics of launching programs, finding files, searching the web, sending and reading email, typing and so on?

Even specialists are general users when it comes to common applications. A graphic designer might also use presentation, spreadsheet and finance applications. He is unlikely to be an expert in all of them.

I’ll look at the numbers in a future post, but I submit that, despite the best efforts of user interface and application designers, most workers actually know very little about the capabilities of the machines they use every day and, I suspect, equally little about how to use them. I’d like to know how our readers feel about computer literacy in their workplaces. Do you test job applicants’ computer literacy? Do you train employees in basic or advanced computer use?

Does anyone solicit suggestions from employees on good computer practices and/or get knowledgeable employees to lead informal training sessions on suggested efficient computer practices, advanced functions, new devices and so on?

Workplace computer literacy has broad effects. I’ll look at what it means for employer policy another time.

Adam Gorley
First Reference Human Resources and Compliance Editor

  • About
  • Latest Posts
Follow me
Adam Gorley
Editor at First Reference Inc.
Adam Gorley is a copywriter, editor and researcher at First Reference. He contributes regularly to First Reference Talks, Inside Internal Controls and other First Reference publications. He writes about general HR issues, accessibility, privacy, technology in the workplace, accommodation, violence and harassment, internal controls and more.
Follow me
Latest posts by Adam Gorley (see all)
  • Can you implement a mandatory vaccine policy or ask employees if they have been vaccinated? - June 10, 2021
  • Do you know the latest on terminations? Find out at the Ontario Virtual Employment Law Conference - May 11, 2021
  • Announcing the 2021 Virtual Ontario Employment Law Conference - April 15, 2021

Article by Adam Gorley / Employee Relations / application designers, computer literacy, Computers, employer policy, generation of workers, good computer practices, knowledgeable employees, methods of work, technology, user interface, work computers, workers' ages and attitudes, working styles

Share with a friend or colleague

Get the Latest Posts in your Inbox for Free!

Electronic monitoring

About Adam Gorley

Adam Gorley is a copywriter, editor and researcher at First Reference. He contributes regularly to First Reference Talks, Inside Internal Controls and other First Reference publications. He writes about general HR issues, accessibility, privacy, technology in the workplace, accommodation, violence and harassment, internal controls and more.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Adam Gorley says

    June 6, 2012 at 11:27 am

    Thanks for the comment Inga!

    I’m sure it’s difficult enough for smaller businesses to even test employees’ computer literacy, let alone to attempt to raise everyone to the same basic level.

  2. Inga says

    June 5, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    Our staff are provided with elemental training for our inventory software, but that’s it. I concur with your observation that most people use the various software programs inefficiently – hit and miss usage! We have only one IT person, and that person wears more than the IT hat. Hence, t’is difficult for him to address everyone’s needs and training.

Footer

About us

Established in 1995, First Reference is the leading publisher of up to date, practical and authoritative HR compliance and policy databases that are essential to ensure organizations meet their due diligence and duty of care requirements.

First Reference Talks

  • Home
  • About
  • Archives
  • Resources
  • Buy Policies

Main Menu

  • About First Reference
  • Resources
  • Contact us
  • 1 800 750 8175

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

We welcome your comments on our blog articles. However, we do not respond to specific legal questions in this space.
We do not provide any form of legal advice or legal opinion. Please consult a lawyer in your jurisdiction or try one of our products.


Copyright © 2009 - 2023 · First Reference Inc. · All Rights Reserved
Legal and Copyright Notices · Publisher's Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Accessibility Policy