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INGLÉS NIVEL III
Primer examen parcial - Texto para el examen
Why ‘digital literacy’ is now a
workplace non-negotiable
Digital literacy used to mean being able to send an email or type using a word-processing
programme. It was a skill largely required of knowledge workers – people who might use
specific software at work and need to be fluent in how to use it accordingly.
But the phrase has evolved significantly. Now, digital literacy means having the skills to
thrive in a society where communication and access to information are increasingly done
via digital technologies, such as online platforms and mobile devices. The concept
encompasses a broad understanding of an array of digital tools that enable in-office,
hybrid and remote work across all types of workplaces: think real-time collaborative
software, live workplace chat apps and sophisticated asynchronous work tools.
Today, digital literacy is no longer a functional proposition, it’s a mindset. In the modern
workplace, there is a greater expectation for employees to nimbly adopt whatever
technology comes with their job as well as adapt to ever-changing tools and approaches.
Workers are also expected to use technology strategically: from working off their personal
mobile devices, to leveraging collaborative workflow programmes.
And, importantly, digital skills are no longer essential only in knowledge work. “These are
becoming universally applicable to almost everyone,” says Ying Zhou, director of the
Future of Work Research Centre at the University of Surrey, UK. […]
Zhou says workers who stand still and stop acquiring digital expertise risk falling behind.
“Every time technology is developed it pushes up the workforce’s skill requirements. It
becomes a race between digital skills and technology: the faster it advances, the quicker
we have to update our skills. The bar is being raised all the time.”
