---
title: What Are Digital Skills?
description: Here's why your organization needs to understand and teach digital skills to its workforce now, and how digital credentials can help validate those skills.
image: https://learn.credly.com/hubfs/shutterstock_370595594-2000x400-sfw.webp
---
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[ Credly Blog ](https://credly-2629051.hs-sites.com/blog) What Are Digital Skills?
# What Are Digital Skills?
As technology evolves, new roles emerge, requiring ongoing skill development. Discover how retaining employees through digital credentials can foster loyalty and enhance productivity in remote work.
 Credly
 3 min read
In any business, it's always important to focus on keeping up with technology, but now, given the new challenges we're all facing because of the pandemic, it's more important than ever. This is true for a variety of factors, not the least of which is the absolute necessity for your business to be running at optimal efficiency now in this new, uncertain economy. In today's marketplace, your business will have to do more with less, find new ways to stay relevant and serve your customers and compete with companies that are doing the same. That means your employees need to be not just proficient, but pros at using digital technology in the workplace.
For many companies, there's a skills gap hindering new hires who are capable of hitting the ground running. If that sounds familiar, investing in digital skills training now is a wise choice. The ability to verify those skills with digital credentials is crucial for your company to operate like a well-oiled machine now, but it can also be the touchstone to take your organization into a successful future.
*Here are some reasons it's important to invest in skills training now.*
### **Fourth Industrial Revolution**
The term refers to the changes happening rapidly because of advances in technology. Artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, machine learning, big data, even being able to conduct business on smartphones. The advances are happening faster than we can get comfortable with last week's latest and greatest. For many businesses, this new technology affords new ways to communicate with and serve customers.
**New Roles will Emerge Because of Tech**
We just don't know what they are yet. In the [Future of Jobs Report](https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2018), the World Economic Forum revealed that 133 million new roles will likely be created worldwide by 2022 involving technology. That's great, but the problem is, employers, employees, and job seekers don't know exactly how to prepare for those roles, which will widen the skills gap. For job seekers, it may mean beefing up their tech and digital skills outside of traditional college degree systems. For employers, it means robust digital skills will be a must-have for both their current and future employees. Digital credentials to verify those skills will be crucial.
**More People Than You Think Lack Basic Digital Skills**
A recent survey by the [U.K. Department for Education](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/essential-digital-skills-framework/essential-digital-skills-framework) found that 11.3 million people lack basic digital skills. We're talking about setting up devices, using apps like Slack or WhatsApp, processing and backing up information, and remote collaboration.
**Digital Skills Training Retains Good Employees**
Even before the pandemic hit, employees were worried about the "bots" coming in and taking over their jobs. Now, they're wondering if there will be jobs at all. Offering your employees the opportunity to up their technology skills and earn digital credentials will demonstrate your loyalty to them, that you're planning for the future, and you want them along for the ride. [[Discover how digital credentials can help retain your employees in our blog]](https://learn.credly.com/blog/empower-and-retain-employees-with-digital-credential-data)
**Digital Transformation Means Higher Productivity**
It's crucial to be efficient anytime, but having a well-trained staff of digital pros is more important now as the economy ebbs and flows. Not having to worry about your employees needing assistance setting up their new laptops during onboarding means more time for efficiency.
Your employees must be digital pros now. If your company wasn't working remotely before, it's likely it is now. In order to thrive in an at-home work environment, your organization must be skilled at remote collaboration, communication, and simply getting the job done without a constant in-person feedback loop.
At Credly by Pearson, we're dedicated to helping companies offer their employees the opportunity to upskill and earn digital credentials. In today's economy, it's critical to have a digitally skilled workforce. Contact us today to get more information about how we can help you help them upskill.
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