Computer and ICT Skills Level of Small-Scale Business Organization Employees: Basis for Company Intervention Program

Abstract

An increasing number of businesses now rely on computer technology to complete tasks. For this reason, possessing computer skills has become increasingly crucial This study aimed to assess the computer and ICT skills of employees in small-scale business organizations. The researcher administered a survey questionnaire to a purposive sample of 28 employees from small-scale business organizations, and the quantitative data gathered was organized and processed using SPSS version 17.0. The explanatory design employed unstructured interviews with non-probability sampled respondents to collect qualitative data. Thematic analysis was used to establish themes arising from the qualitative responses. Findings revealed that employees in these organizations have a low level of competence in performing office tasks, such as basic computer operations, file management, word processing, database use, and network use. There are no significant differences in computer and ICT skill levels among employees in small-scale business organizations when grouped by educational attainment, length of service, and gender. Based on the interviewees' responses, common themes emerged, such as poor internet connectivity, an unreliable power supply, a lack of funds to purchase gadgets that can access the internet, a lack of knowledge and interest in learning, and a lack of time to attend a short program related to computers and ICT are the reasons for low levels of computer and ICT skills. Tutorials and self-study are common strategies employees use to accomplish assigned tasks in the office.