Marcus Richards
We live in a technology-driven world, where innovation is quickly changing how we work, communicate, and live. In this digital age, having computer skills places you are an advantage during the job search process. An even more important skill that employers look for when screening potential talent is touch-typing. According to studies, having touch-typing skills opens the door to numerous career opportunities and increases productivity. This article looks at why hiring managers value typing skills and why it is crucial to learn how to type.
What Are Keyboarding Skills?
Effective manual keyboarding skills mean having the ability to type using all fingers without looking at the keyboard. Hiring managers value keyboarding as a skill because it allows employees to produce and edit text faster. Having employees that can type fast also means that the work produced is of greater accuracy. For employees, touch typing skills mean a better working experience and more time dedicated to other tasks.
Speedy manual keyboarding skills are valuable in almost every industry. Many roles, including customer service, data entry, information technology, and the medical field demand strong typing skills. As such, it is not uncommon for hiring managers to test keyboarding proficiency as part of the hiring process. Some companies choose to outsource custom typing service.
Top Benefits of Keyboarding Skills
There is evidence that hiring managers increasingly look for employees with impeccable keyboarding skills. This includes better touch-typing, higher accuracy levels, and attention to detail. Here, touch typing means the ability to type words on the keyboard while only using touch to guide you, without looking at the letters.
It relies on the individual’s knowledge of key placement and muscle memory. Employees with keyboarding skills are also more accurate and focus on attention to detail. They are less distracted when working on tasks and can maintain focus for longer periods. Here are some notable benefits of impeccable keyboarding skills.
It Saves Time
Hiring managers know that employees with impeccable keyboarding skills can deliver exceptional written communications at a faster speed. In the workplace, there will be numerous instances where you communicate with supervisors, clients, and colleagues through writing. There will be emails to send, letters and applications to create, and forms to fill out. By sending emails with proper formatting and accurate use of grammar, employees can show their keyboarding abilities.
This saves time for the individual and the company. According to experts, an average typist using two fingers and typing about ten words per minute will create a 170-word document in close to 17 minutes. On the other hand, someone who types about 40 words per minute will create a similar document in close to 4 minutes. In other words, the employee with faster typing speeds will get the work done faster, saving time and creating room for other activities and processes.
Benefits Employee Health
Companies have to be concerned about employee welfare since workers with good health tend to be more productive. According to evidence, keyboarding skills help employees maintain good health as they don’t have to remain bent over their keyboards as they search for the appropriate keys. The point here is that typing without looking at the keyboard will mean that you have your eyes on the screen and you won’t be straining your back or neck when working on documents.
Of course, posture is rarely the first thing that comes to mind when people consider improving their keyboarding skills. However, evidence shows that people who master touch typing pose less threat to their backs and necks. The average person spends considerable time typing in any office-based job.
However, health experts warn that spending too much time at your desk is bad for your posture, meaning that we all need to reduce the number of hours spent sitting down. So, if much of your day is spent typing on the keyboard, improving your typing skills will mean that you spend less time at your desk. You will have space to stand up and do things that pose less threat to your neck and back.
Reduces Fatigue and Increases Productivity
Another strong benefit of hiring people with impeccable typing skills is that they tend to be more productive. Skilled typists can complete tasks faster. Hiring managers favor this type of employee as they produce more work and are more accurate. Keyboarding skills keep employees energized and have more energy to work on other projects.
The Bottom Line
Hiring managers in different industries prefer employees with impeccable keyboarding skills as it boosts workplace productivity. These workers have greater accuracy and can get more work done in less time. Touch typing also has several health benefits. For the employer, typing skills reduce fatigue and allow individuals to master a crucial skill.
