Current and expected parameters of building digital competencies among the working population

Abstract

This article is devoted to issues associated with developing a digital economy in the Russian Federation, given a context where digital technologies are finding their way into the work process. The current discussions on “digitalization” increasingly emphasize there not being any alternative to mastering these technologies. With it being a condition of employment, the use of various digital products demands that workers immerse themselves into the digital environment, which, in turn, sets the course for developing digital competencies. For starters, based on the authors examining a sample of job openings, the digital competencies that are currently in demand on the labor market were determined, with them having to correspond with workplace equipment status. All devices and technologies currently used by Russian enterprises and organizations are presented as digital means of labor, while being divided into classes and groups. Together they constitute certain parameters which the authors used as a foundation for their research on the digital competencies of workers or their digital career capital. Then analysis was conducted of data from a telephone survey of working residents of Saint-Petersburg, in order to determine their motivations and priorities when it comes to developing digital competencies. The results attained from the study suggest that building digital capital is demanded by the labor market, and that it can (and should) be focused on the needs of Russia’s economy. In the meantime digital competencies among the working population mostly depend on workers’ qualification, their age and abundance of digital technology in their everyday life. The latter is just as critical a factor as the work environment when it comes to defining the algorithms of familiarizing oneself with the products of the digital revolution. However, the population does not have a clear understanding on what digital knowledge and skills need to be acquired, while lacking the motivation to improve their skill set in this field. Employees often fail to see the opportunities offered by developing digital capital in the workplace. Regardless, most of them rightfully understand that changes in technology are inevitable and desirable, and that they need to be able to keep up. Hence this article analyzes, on one hand, the demand for digital competencies, shaped by the current situation on the labor market, and on the other hand – the motivations and expectations of the employees themselves in terms of possibilities for their use and further development. The results of the study allowed its authors to paint a comprehensive picture of the processes which bring the working population to enhance their digital competencies.