We’ve all witnessed the relentless march of technology. So, it’s easy to assume that as our comfort and familiarity with technology expands, so will our proficiency.
Unfortunately, we can’t equate digital consumption with digital literacy.
Digital literacy shouldn’t be confused with the passive use of digital platforms, like watching videos or scrolling through social media, explains Adobe’s Alex Gay. And, as noted in our last post, there is a growing gap between the online skills needed for personal use and those required for work.
“Every industry in America faces significant digital skill gaps in its workforce.”
How the Digital Skills Gap Impacts HR Outcomes
When new hires lack basic digital skills, the results on HR efforts are both immediate and long-lasting. In our work with organizations across industry sectors, we’ve heard the frustration – particularly from trainers and managers.
“In training, it holds up the class because you have to wait for everyone to log in. It’s embarrassing for the person and frustrating for everyone else. It’s even more challenging now that training is virtual.” – Trainer
“If they haven’t mastered the basics, then they have to learn the basics and the role at the same time. This makes the training longer, and they lag on the job.” – Manager
Common Outcomes Related to Poor Digital Fluency
- Longer time to train new hires
- Poor performance in training
- Poor performance on the job
- Decreased job satisfaction
- Increased attrition
- Employee frustration and burnout
A New Solution Helps Bridge the Gap
To help organizations overcome the digital skills gap, Employment Technologies created the Digital Literacy Assessment. This smart, simple screening tool provides an accurate indicator of digital proficiency – in a matter of minutes.
What It Measures
To create the new assessment, Employment Technologies’ Innovation Team conducted a comprehensive review of academic, market, and client-based research to determine the fundamental digital and computer skills required for today’s jobs. After careful analysis, the team identified three essential components, which are the focus of our new assessment:
- Computer Basics – managing files and folders, troubleshooting, and cybersecurity
- Common Software – Microsoft Word, email, calendar events, and video conferencing
- Online Navigation – logging in, navigating multiple interfaces, and toggling between sites
How It’s Unique
Our user-friendly design improves the candidate experience, enabling them to complete the assessment on any smart device. Employers then have instant access to accurate, unbiased results to inform their hiring, training, and onboarding decisions. The assessment is ideal for onsite and remote jobs across a variety of industries and can be used to assess both candidates and current employees.
The chart below compares how our new Digital Literacy Assessment stacks up against typical digital/computer literacy assessments currently on the market.
How We Can Help
To discover how our new Digital Literacy Assessment can help you improve training efficiency and boost performance outcomes, contact us today at 888.332.0648. Or click here to request your free demo!