Blog
A Guide on Planning Your 2022 Training Strategy
It’s no secret that the workforce is experiencing a big shift – the Great Resignation – and that as a result, organizations are realizing that it is time to examine their strategy around employee retention.
You have probably heard the “What if we train them and they leave?… What if we don’t and they stay?” quote many times over the years. Perhaps now is a good time to recall what Sir Richard Branson says, “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
Behind the Scenes: Centriq’s Internal Lunch ‘n’ Learns on Microsoft Teams
We’ve been using Microsoft Teams internally at Centriq for quite a while, but the product continues to evolve each month. This is an exciting reality, but it can also make it difficult for users to stay on top of all Microsoft Teams has to offer. Because Microsoft Teams is our digital workplace at Centriq, where a majority of our communication and collaborative efforts take place, we wanted to do something to help our colleagues boost productivity, unlock new ways of working together online, and communicate more effectively using the latest features available.
To address this, our Microsoft 365 team recently sponsored two virtual, internal Microsoft Teams refresher lunch ‘n’ learn sessions which also served as an introduction to tips and best practices for our newer employees.
Featured Networking Student for September 2021
tell us about yourself.
I’m Tommy Stewart. I’m from Kansas City, have bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University, and I have worked in Customer service since I started working at 14. For the last 8 years I’ve been working as a Field Supervisor for a residential window replacement company where I’m responsible for customer escalation issues, managing installation subcontractors, and supervising service/production employees.
Featured Developer Student for September 2021
tell us about yourself.
Hello! My name is Jacob Roelofsz, I am a recent high school graduate that loves to code and play video games. I have been playing video games for as long as I can remember (even if my parents didn’t like it). I have always loved technology which led to me discovering coding during my high school career and I fell in love with it. I loved being able to control the way a computer executes programs.
Meet the Trainer: Janet Nichols
Meet Centriq Technical Trainer Janet Nichols! Janet has been training with Centriq for over 14 years. Keep reading to find out her favorite Centriq class, the biggest differences between Server 2016 and Server 2019, and how workplaces can find success when managing environments that include Azure laaS-hosted Windows Server-based workloads.
Centriq’s Virtual M365 Training Evolution: COVID-19 and Beyond
In the years leading up to COVID-19, Centriq Training stood apart from other training companies because we offered a true classroom experience, in-person, with a live instructor. Although we have offered the option for learners to attend most of our classes virtually since 2012, Centriq has generally encouraged in-person attendance for optimal learner experience. And the new M365 user courses we developed weren’t available virtually for public audiences. But in March 2020, the pandemic created an immediate need for every Centriq course to be offered virtually with optimal student experience.
Use Microsoft Teams to Prepare for, Lead, and Follow-Up on Efficient Virtual Meetings
Let’s reflect on how our daily work lives have changed over the past year or so. By now, many of you have likely set up a good home office space. Mine personally took over my kitchen table and I’m continuing to make improvements, including a new desk soon. While many of us were making the shift to working from home more, Microsoft Teams was also evolving to close the gap between working virtually and being at the office, giving you the most effective and efficient work environment. Teams is built on a foundation of collaborative tools and application integrations with sharing abilities and communication features throughout. But many underutilize all Teams has to offer when it comes to running effective meetings.
How to Use OneDrive for Business to Request Files Securely
Have you ever needed other people to upload files directly to your OneDrive? Obviously, you could share an entire folder with them, but what if you didn’t want them to see the existing contents of the folder? For example, sometimes it isn’t always appropriate for everyone to view certain files (HR documents, certain forms/requests/paperwork, photo contest submissions, award nominations, etc.).
Featured Networking Student for August 2021
tell us about yourself.
Hi! I’m Alex Adamek and I grew up in Platte City, MO. Shortly after graduating high school I enlisted in the United States Air Force and moved around the country for the next few years. Now that I am separating from the military, my family and I have decided to move back to our home of KC and closer to our extended family.
Featured Developer Student for August 2021
tell us about yourself.
Hello! I’m Danielle Smalley. I’ve lived in Missouri almost all my life and will be moving to the KC area soon! Before Centriq, I worked 9 years in client-facing roles such as customer service and sales, mainly in the financial industry. In recent years, I’ve had colleagues suggest that I explore tech roles due to my analytical & detail-oriented nature, and curiosity for technology. I dove into my research, landed here at Centriq as a Full Stack Web Developer student, and feel like I have finally found my niche!