Digital Skills in the Workplace

 

Importance of Digital Skills in the Workplace

The demand for digital skills in the workplace has never been greater  and in a progressively digital world developing these skills can have a hugely positive impact on your life. With an ever increasing number of people working remotely  and 82% of all jobs in the UK listing digital skills as a requirement, being adept in a wide variety of these skills is vital for your career. 

Your digital knowledge is good enough for the workplace, recent research has shown that 52% of employees lack important digital skills.

 But what are these skills?

What are Digital Skills for the Workplace?

Digital skills can be hard to define, particularly as feedback from businesses reveals that the phrase encompasses numerous skills and capabilities. In short, it refers to any skills needed to effectively operate in an increasingly digital world. 

Digital skills are broadly described by UNESCO as the ability to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information. They allow us to create and share content, communicate, and collaborate globally. 

All digital skills are highly transferable and are now considered to be a critical component for employability. As the use of digital technology and automation is transforming the jobs market, transferable skills, particularly those in the digital sphere.

The Digital Skills Gap

Despite a rise in the use of technology, there is a large digital skills gap which is causing a multitude of issues. Digital skills shortages not only hold individuals back from finding work and progressing in their career, they also have a negative impact on the overall growth and productivity.

Just 1 in 5 young people are confident they have the advanced digital skills an employer needs.

Add to this the fact that the digital skills required by employers are constantly changing to keep up with technological advancements, and it’s clear we need to do more to ensure a greater number of individuals are developing digital skills for the workplace.

Essential Digital Skills

The digital skills you need will depend on the type of career you’re pursuing, however there are some essential skills that are increasingly required in almost every job. These are skills that everyone should aim to develop.

• Email and instant messaging

• Word processing

• Social media for business

• Web based research and problem solving

• Data entry and handling

• Behaving safely and legally online