What Insights From 7,500 UK Workers Reveal About The Digital Skills Gap

OXFORD, U.K. - Dec. 3, 2024 - PRLog -- In an age where digital proficiency has never been more important, insights gained from almost 7,500 UK workers has shed light on the areas where we are facing a digital skills gap. This research - gained through ongoing Digital Maturity Assessments carried out by Hable (https://www.hable.co.uk/) - uncovers data on the use and application of digital tools, in the context of 12 work themes.

Looking at the Digital Maturity Assessments data, the area that people were found to be least mature in was Information Management. With a huge 64% of respondents only currently using basic features to manage information. Poor information management can create a growing data heap, making it harder to find what you need.

Content Creation has also been revealed as an area that needs addressing. With a huge 80% of respondents reporting to not be proactively using different types of content to make their content more engaging. This means content produced is likely to be heavily text-based, potentially missing opportunities to include content such as video, audio, or animations.

Around a third of respondents are rarely adjusting content to improve accessibility. This is likely due to people being unaware of tools available, rather than an intentional effort to exclude. Less than 8% of people are utilising all accessibility tools at work – by simply improving knowledge of these tools, UK organisations have the power to create a much more accessible environment.

In the 'Opinions' section of the Assessment, when asked about access to technology, 9% of people feel they don't have access to the technology they need to do their jobs properly. Highlighting the need for regular evaluations of technology requirements, and providing modern and efficient technology to support job functions.

More positively, there are many areas where workers are excelling. Around 15% are now using advanced collaboration functionality within their workday, such as tracking changes, workflows and version control. With 50% regularly leading online meetings and using functionality such as sharing screens, reactions, and captions. 30% also expressed a high level of confidence when it comes to technology, reporting an enthusiasm for using new devices, apps or systems that will improve how things work.

"Almost 7,500 people have now taken our Digital Maturity Assessment," said Nicki Harman, Services Director at Hable. "The insights gained highlight an urgent need for people in organisations to gain digital confidence. In an environment where they are able to develop their digital maturity beyond where they are today.."

While these findings highlight a lack of digital maturity and confidence in certain areas, they also show a significant opportunity. Where organisations can upskill employees, bridging the gaps by investing in highly targeted training, modern devices, and the continuous assessment of digital maturity. To ensure all employees can thrive.