One in seven British workers need help turning their office computers on or off because of their dismal knowledge of new technology, according to a report.
City & Guilds, which awards work-related qualifications, said its survey showed that about a fifth of staff asked for help to save or print a document and could not create a table on their screens to make it easier to write data.
Firms were paying out an average of £49,000 a year for additional computer support because of the "skills shortfall" of their staff, it was claimed.
City & Guilds said its survey of 400 financial directors showed that employers were at their wits end because of the problem.
One in five firms admitted their workers only had basic computer skills, while some said employees had no information technology qualifications at all.
City & Guilds spokesman, Paul McCloskey,: "Sound IT skills have become a prerequisite in the modern workplace and it is essential that employers invest in suitable training for their staff to keep their skills updated."
PA