Most workplaces around the country use some form of Microsoft product in their daily operations One of the biggest, of course, is Microsoft Office. The software suite featuring Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint is one of the most popular business tools in the world, but many people only scratch the surface of what they can do.
When you want to upskill your staff and get the most out of your business tools, a comprehensive training program is the best option. That’s why you need the best Microsoft courses online Australia has to offer. Completing courses online makes sense for a number of reasons, with far-reaching benefits from financial to staff engagement.
Let’s look a bit closer into Microsoft Office courses online and the value they can deliver your business.
What’s included in Microsoft Office courses?
Microsoft Office is packed with features, so it’s little wonder there are plenty of different courses you can do. In fact, you can choose from over 1,000 different online courses depending on your needs. Some of the most popular training courses focus specifically on one program within Microsoft Office. For example, under the banner of Microsoft Word you can learn everything from basic functions through to advanced controls. If there are specific tasks you want to learn, you can also do short online courses to learn what you need.
The same applies for other big programs like Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, which are both extremely powerful tools when your staff have an in-depth knowledge of how to use them. Of course, there are broader courses as well, which can give your teams a basic introduction to all Microsoft Office programs.
If you’ve got teams with more specific needs though, you can explore short online courses on more boutique programs like Access, Project and Visio.
How does online training work?
There are several types of Microsoft Office training, and of course some of those are classroom-based, facilitated training. When it comes to online courses though, there are also some variations you should know about. An increased focus on digital training methods in recent years has resulted in plenty of flexibility for businesses.
Firstly, there is self-paced learning, sometimes referred to as E-learning. Many people shudder at the thought of E-learning, because they’ve had bad experiences of bland, non-engaging packages. Well-developed E-learning packages, however, can be a perfect alternative for people who like to learn in their own time, at their own pace and without distractions.
The most popular type of online training though, is definitely facilitated online learning. Also known as virtual classrooms, these Microsoft courses are fully facilitated but can be completed online. Users can participate with audio, chat features, and even share documents. Not only is it extremely convenient for staff, but a virtual classroom session can be engaging, useful and very cost-effective for businesses.
The benefits of studying Microsoft Office online
When deciding on training options for your staff, there’s a lot to consider. The best training needs to be relevant for participants and cost-effective for businesses. It’s an endless battle trying to please cater for everybody’s learning styles but online courses make it a little easier to schedule appropriate training that delivers maximum impact. From self-paced to facilitated sessions, online courses offer a flexibility that other training simply can’t match.
Here’s the benefits of studying Microsoft Office online courses.
Getting more out of your software
When businesses consider the types of training that really increases productivity, Microsoft Office online courses should always be a consideration. The big reason is most companies already have Microsoft Office at their disposal. Staff reusing it every day, but perhaps not harnessing the full extent of its capabilities.
Microsoft Excel, for example, can perform a huge amount of functions in the hands of a skilled operator. So, why not turn your staff into Excel experts. You may even find that you can do away with expensive third-party software and use Microsoft Office programs that you’ve already paid for.
Create an agile, multi-skilled workforce
In the modern age, it’s no longer practical for businesses to employ people who can only perform a few specific functions. Sure, you’re not going to have a medical research scientist working on the reception desk, however you do need everybody capable of performing basic admin tasks.
Larger companies particularly should be looking to cross-skill their staff as best as possible. Often that means giving them at least a basic understanding of using a range of Microsoft products to perform different functions. This way, in the case of absences or staff unavailability, you’ve got some coverage to ensure key daily functions aren’t missed.
Microsoft Office courses online are more cost-effective
If you’ve ever organised classroom-based training for your teams, you’ll know it can be an expensive exercise. Firstly, you lose productivity straight away by having people off-site, or away from their desks. There’s also a travel aspect to attend an off-site training facility, which is just more wasted time.
Microsoft Office online courses, however, allow staff to remain at their desks and complete their courses with little interruption. Less down time means higher productivity. In addition, it’s more cost-effective to target specific training needs with shorter online courses, rather than send people to all-day training with potentially irrelevant content.
Keep all staff up to date with software changes
Microsoft Office, just like most software packages, continues to evolve and change with time. Many businesses now use the cloud version known as Office 365. While most of the functions are the same, even software that looks a little different visually can be confusing for staff. That’s why it can be beneficial to keep your staff trained with the most up-to-date Microsoft Office courses.
There are even collaborative tools now, such as Microsoft Teams, and we can expect this sort of software to replace most older versions of Office in the coming years. If you move to a newer version of Office, it’s essential that you give your staff a comprehensive overview so they can keep working quickly and efficiently.
Learning Microsoft Office online improves productivity
As we touched on before, the list of Microsoft Office’s capabilities runs extremely deep, but most people will only scratch the surface. Microsoft Excel is a perfect example of that. Many people understand the concept of basic formulas and sums. However, an Advanced Excel course would give your staff the capability to do so much more.
There are also other programs in the Microsoft Office suite that can be utilised to increase productivity. The collaborative tools like Microsoft Teams make it easy for staff to share information and work on projects together, even from afar. These productivity-boosting tools can all be taught with Microsoft Office training.
There are so many online courses to choose from
With online catalogues of shorter, specialised Office courses as well as broader, more comprehensive programs there’s really nothing you can’t learn. That means you can better organise your training schedule around individual staff needs. People all have different levels of experience with Office products, so it doesn’t make sense to deliver them the same training. Find out what each staff member needs, and book them in easily to address their unique training needs.
Short online courses are a huge hit with staff
Finally, staff engagement is a huge thing in today’s business landscape. Happy staff are usually more productive, which means overall your business is more successful. One way to keep staff engaged is to always give them opportunities to learn valuable skills. The best thing about Microsoft online courses in Australia is that staff can take those skills with them anywhere. People love training that isn’t always specific to their current job, because they feel like their employer cares enough to provide training that enriches their career. So, keep those staff smiling and engaged!