The software development industry is growing rapidly at a rate of 4% each year, and businesses that want to maintain a competitive advantage need to be ready to adopt new systems. This will ensure that they operate with smoothness and efficiency as they take on the challenges of a digitalized future. However, for many employees, learning new software can be daunting. It can be hard to understand at first, and many worry that they’ll be unable to use a new tool to its full potential. Here are three ways to quickly learn how to use new software or system at work.
Ask Your Colleagues and Managers for Support
In most workplace scenarios, many staff members will be expected to use a particular software. Therefore, the best way to adapt to a new system is to ask for help. When a manager requests that their staff use new software, they should be willing to accept that there’s a learning curve involved. They should also know the software better than anyone and can therefore offer useful advice. Rather than struggling in silence, it’s important to reach out to colleagues who better understand the software and get personalized advice from them.
Find Tutorials Online
Studies suggest that e-learning increases retention rates from 25% to 60%. That’s why the most widely-used computer systems often come with online tutorials and why 98% of companies plan to incorporate e-learning soon. These tutorials are usually made by software developers or IT experts who want to be helpful. For instance, it’s easy to find SharePoint tutorials for beginners. These are tailor-made for people who have never used the software before. These online tutorials break the system down into simple steps, helping users get familiar with the tool.
Find Time to Practice
Software that seems incomprehensible at first will soon become second nature. Like any skill, it’s simply a matter of practice. The more you spend time on a new system, the more you’ll strengthen the neural networks in your brain that understand how this particular program operates. To do this, you should aim to set aside time to use the software. If you only use it when you actually need it, then it’s likely that you won’t be familiar with it and won’t get your tasks done. Instead, schedule some practice time learning the software. This could be half an hour each morning before starting work, or it could be for a couple of hours on the weekends. It will require a few more hours now, but it’ll save plenty of time down the road.
New software is only going to become increasingly common in businesses – especially with the growth of remote work – so learning how to use it quickly can help you stand out in the workplace. When new software is introduced at work, though, it can be daunting. That’s especially true for people who don’t consider themselves computer-savvy. However, in most instances, it’s possible to get up to speed quickly. Colleagues and senior staff members should be on-hand to help, but online tutorials are often the best way to learn new skills quickly. The trick is to schedule time to practice and keep on practicing until the software becomes familiar and intuitive.
