Microsoft Office is used by millions of professionals worldwide and has become one of the top productivity tools in business. The Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification program is the leading way for companies to validate Microsoft Office skills, increase their employees’ proficiency, and strengthen the overall company to help meet the demands of the modern workforce. Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, a leading comprehensive law firm in Japan, is utilizing MOS certification to increase the productivity and professionalism of their new staff.
Bridging the skills gap
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune employs more than 1,300 professionals focused on providing high-quality services for all legal issues faced by both domestic and foreign companies operating in Japan.
The MOS certification program was first introduced to the firm in 2007 and implemented into its new staff orientation program. The firm initially mandated that all incoming staff members who support their lawyers earn MOS Word certification during their preemployment period.
“Although many of our staff have used Microsoft Office Word during their school days, the quality of the content and appearance of our work is important, as well as the speed,” said Mr. Narimasa Furusawa, Recruitment and Education Manager. “Understanding the features of Microsoft Office applications and using them effectively based on specific tasks significantly impacts both speed and productivity. Therefore, MOS certification enables a systematic way for our new employees to learn the functions of the applications while increasing their productivity.”
Since implementing MOS Word certification, the law firm has expanded its new staff orientation program to include Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint certifications as well.
Mastering new job roles
Every October, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune hosts a new staff orientation for members who will be joining the firm the following spring. During this orientation, they review the process for MOS certification and provide a rigorous training program for the staff to learn Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
The training program is unique to the firm and focuses on assignment tasks that bring new hires’ varying skill levels to a consistent standard in relation to the roles of their jobs. Each staff member is required to study for, take, and pass the Microsoft Word and Excel certification exams, with the option to also take the Microsoft PowerPoint certification exam, before they are assigned to their respective departments.
There is an emphasis on Microsoft Word during these trainings, as staff have to adhere to rules set by the firm for contracts and legal documents, resulting in much of the staff using Word 5-6 hours a day.
“Lawyers do not request urgent tasks like ‘by today or tomorrow’ from newly assigned staff, but every lawyer works with an overwhelming sense of speed every day, and it is common for planned tasks to be suddenly changed,” said Ms. Fumie Nunokami from Human Resources. “In such an environment, even new staff members quickly develop a strong desire to perform their tasks efficiently and realize that taking too much time on Office applications can hinder their work. This is where they can utilize the skills they acquired by obtaining MOS certification before joining the firm.”
Delivering transformative and measurable results
Since implementing the MOS certification requirement, the firm has experienced an overall increase in productivity and professionalism. It allows staff to work at a common skill level with increased competence. Moreover, new staff can thrive as independent professionals and work with increased speed and confidence in Microsoft Office applications, which is key to the firm’s success.
“Our firm is not a hierarchical organization but a flat one, fostering a culture where individuals think and act proactively. To facilitate the lawyers’ work, a self-reliant working style of ‘searching before being told’ and ‘always thinking while progressing with work’ is deeply rooted,” said Ms. Kanae Ofuchi from Human Resources. “The lawyers embody professional behavior in their high-quality work, and by seeing this, our staff naturally develop a high level of professionalism in their own work. In this environment, we expect new staff to enhance their work skills, including office automation skills, and to thrive as independent professionals.”
According to a survey the firm conducted with its 2023 new hires after they obtained their MOS certifications, many reported that their skills in Microsoft Office applications had improved. Comments from survey respondents included the following positive feedback:
- “When I was a student, I thought I knew how to use Microsoft Office applications, but I realized I only understood limited features.”
- “Studying for the MOS certification exam allowed me to learn functions I wouldn’t have discovered on my own.”
- “I used to have a hard time creating documents, but I was impressed to learn that there are functions that are so useful and make them look better.”
“MOS certification is highly valuable from the perspective of ‘standardization of skills’ to ensure that all staff have the same skills to use the software effectively,” said Mr. Furusawa. “Additionally, our firm considers it advantageous because it helps new hires cultivate a professional mindset before entering the workforce. Unlike university years, where students can learn whatever they like, obtaining MOS certification during the preemployment period serves as a meaningful first step toward becoming a productive team member.”
To learn more about Microsoft Office Specialist certification, please visit: .
About Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
Established: 2005 (prior to the merger Anderson & Mori Law Firm: 1952 and Tomotsune & Kimura Law Firm: 1967)
Employees: 630 lawyers and 700 staff members (as of October 2023)
Anderson Mori & Tomotsune is a leading Japanese law firm providing high-quality services for all legal issues faced by both domestic and foreign companies operating in Japan. The firm has a system in place to respond to the needs of clients in an organized and flexible manner through the cooperation of attorneys with expertise in various fields of law. Under this system, the types and scope of legal matters they handle have expanded dramatically in response to the diversification and complexity of demand for legal services. For more information, please visit: .
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