Photo by Arlington Research on Unsplash
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Senior Officials Meeting in May 2023, held in Detroit, brought together representatives from 21 member economies to discuss and collaborate on various economic and social issues. One of our key focus areas was the need for sustainable, inclusive growth through human resources-led employee development.
The Asia-Pacific region is home to more than 4.2 billion people, accounting for approximately 44% of the global GDP. With such a significant impact on the global economy, entities like the Human Resources Development Working Group were established to work on initiatives that can improve the quality of the Asia-Pacific workforce, enhance employability, promote decent work and foster cultures of lifelong learning.
In pursuit of this goal, APEC member representatives and other stakeholders believe it's important to start focusing more on initiatives around digital literacy.
At the APEC meeting, Nich Haber, chair of the Global Digital Literacy Council (GDLC), spoke about the challenges faced globally by millions who are struggling to join the modern workforce. The big issue is they lack the competencies to use many of the tech tools most of us would take for granted. It's not just industry professionals who are noticing this. At the June 2023 SHRM Annual HR Conference, former President Bill Clinton spoke about meeting retired people who need to make ends meet but can't even get basic jobs because they're not familiar with today's technologies. In fact, people often need digital literacy just to apply for a job, as many companies only accept online applications.
Organizations like the GDLC have devoted many years to trying to mitigate the global digital skills gap. More than 20 years ago, the GDLC began developing a global standard for digital literacy. Its Internet and Computing Common Core Standards program is one of many available programs that provide introductions to various digital skills. Here are some of the areas people can learn about when participating in these trainings:
• What it means to live in a digital world
• Overviews of computer technology, including keyboarding, computer hardware, different systems (like operating, file and email) and common applications
• The fundamentals of programming, networks and cloud and online collaboration (including problem-solving and project planning)
• How to navigate the internet, social media and mobile technology
• Careers pathways in technology sectors
At the APEC meeting, representatives from Australia discussed a pilot digital literacy program focused on training housekeepers and caregivers. Its objective is to upskill these workers to ensure they can adapt to the evolving prevalence of technology in their day-to-day tasks. Their development will include learning about computer or internet-based tools, applications for scheduling or recording medications, job instructions and training, communication with remote entities and more.
This may be a simplistic example, but it served to demonstrate the global need for competency in the most fundamental areas of an increasingly tech-heavy workforce. It certainly made me think about other sectors that could use this training, such as mid-career professionals who are warehouse workers, cab and/or truck drivers, health care workers or people in agriculture, forestry or mining. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of roles that can benefit from digital literacy.
HR professionals in global operations need to think about how many workers in the organization lack the valuable digital skills that can support growth. Following some particular steps can help determine and address the extent of the issue.
1. Conduct A Confidential Survey: First and foremost, determine where your employees believe they need help. Ask them how they feel about the new technologies they're being exposed to, which will show that you care about their success and will provide essential data for moving forward.
2. Offer A Confidential Digital Skills Assessment: The next step is determining where your employees actually are on the digital literacy pathway. After all, some survey participants may have overestimated their knowledge.
3. Provide Digital Literacy Training: Finally, invest in your workers by providing development opportunities that address digital skills gaps. This can be a way to improve retention, as workers will value this support and be more likely to stay with you longer. This is a win-win for both your company and its workforce.
The May 2023 APEC Senior Officials Meeting felt like a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to foster human resources-led development and capacity building across the globe. I'm excited about the prospects and potential impact of digital literacy initiatives on the lives of millions of workers. As a result, I encourage regional HR professionals to get engaged and understand what their workforce will face as new digital tasks, tools and applications appear in everyday work, be it in an office or a manufacturing facility. With the right support, we can help millions of workers join or remain in the workforce in communities everywhere.
Read the full report here.