A look at why investing in training and CPD is vital for remote and flexible working and the options available with Trustmarque and our partners
Since March, many organisations have accelerated their journey to the cloud and ramped up the use of remote enabled solutions as means to connect employees, partners and customers through the pandemic.
But are you getting best use of the platforms and tools available? For many, Microsoft 365 may have been rapidly deployed as a tactical solution rather than a long-term strategic investment, which is more appropriately what it is designed for. With capabilities extending past meeting the urgent need to work from home, Microsoft 365 is a major enabler for the transition to the “new normal”.
With remote-enabled tools and platforms like Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and Office 365 now implemented in your business – and with user familiarity improving – it is a great time to look at optimisation and training to safeguard your investments.
Many employees are calling out for such support. A study by consulting firm PWC found that only half of staff feel their needs are addressed when new tech is implemented, highlighting the need for better user consultation, training and development.
Some key areas where IT user training and CPD can add value
Maximise your software licenses with specialist software training and CPD
With fewer of us commuting and less lengthy face-to-face project meetings, in theory there should be more space for development. And if not, it is important to make that space. Promoting a culture of CPD (continued professional development) is crucial to attracting and retaining the best talent.
But with hundreds of certified training programmes, the options can be overwhelming. Trustmarque is happy to do the hard work for you. Working with our vast network of partners, we have identified software training and CPD in core areas like security, Microsoft 365 user adoption, cloud DevOps and management, and data management. We will match the right training course to the needs of your business and users and ensure you get the most of your existing software.
All training is delivered virtually at present by leaders in the field. We can help source options for company-wide organisational level training, as well as individual training and CPD.
Strengthen your people perimeter with security awareness training
According to research by our partner Proofpoint, 99% of cyber-attacks rely on your users taking some form of action, be it clicking a link, entering their credentials or even running their code. That is why strengthening your ‘people perimeter’ has never been more important than in an era of remote and flexible working.
Invest in a current risk assessment to determine your weak spots and find out what training could help to safeguard the human element of your security. We work with a few handpicked partners who specialise in security awareness training and can help find for individuals deemed to be vulnerable or entire user groups. Training is bite-size and can be regularly refreshed and deployed to protect your perimeter, both now and in the future.
Accelerate user adoption of Microsoft 365 with FastTrack Ready
Microsoft 365 has the power to breakdown boundaries and take your workplace beyond the office. With the rapid transition to remote working and the era of Teams meetings, now is the time to re-evaluate your Microsoft 365 vision and ensure it becomes a strategic, high performing investment that can drive your digital transformation.
FastTrack is a Microsoft-funded programme for eligible customers, designed to help you get the most out of Microsoft 365 apps and services. As one of a select number of certified FastTrack Ready Partners, Trustmarque has empowered many customers through the programme. We provide your organisation with direct remote assistance from one of our Microsoft certified technical FastTrack Managers who will assist with various on-boarding activities, including user adoption training.
Read our recent case study with a local authority in the north west of England to discover how FastTrack is enabling their remote working and digital transformation vision.
Unleash Azure excellence and innovation with Cloudmarque
While not an official training channel, Cloudmarque is packed with resources to help you innovate faster. Designed by Trustmarque, Cloudmarque is an open source cloud reference architecture that gives you on-demand access to DevOps inspired methodologies and template solutions for design, build and operations in Microsoft Azure.
Cloudmarque was designed with the intention of sharing our knowledge and best practice across the industry to help create a framework for cloud excellence. All of the assets are free to use and we encourage you to share with your peers. Let’s raise the bar.
Your IT training partner
We can help you chose from over 700 online courses all designed to support employee development while maximising your tech investments. For a list of the core areas visit the Software Training page or talk to us so we can help find the best fit for your organisation and employees.
We’re in IT together
By Katherine Murphy, content enthusiast
