Digital skills help bridge gender gap at workplace

Tech-savvy women are now aiding in closing the gender gap in the office space. And digital fluency, which denotes the extent to which people embrace and use digital technologies, to become more knowledgeable, connected and effective, plays a major role in helping women achieve gender equality and level the playing field.  

In the back- drop of International Women’s Day on March 8, a new s t u d y was released by Accenture titled Getting to Equal: How Digital is Help ing Close the Gender Gap at Work . It provides solid proof that women are employing digital skills to gain an edge in preparing for work, finding jobs and advancing at the same time. 

While women still lag behind men in digital fluency in most work places barring a few nations, improving their digital skills can change the picture. If governments and corporates can double the rate at which women become digitally fluent, gender equality could be achieved in 25 years in developed nations, as opposed to 50 years at the current pace. 

Similarly, gender equality in the workplace could be achieved in 45 years in developing nations, versus 85 years at the current pace. 

“Women represent an untapped talent pool that can help fill the gap between the skills needed to stay competitive and the talent available,” says Pierre Nanterme, Accenture’s chairman and CEO. 

“There is a clear opportunity for governments and businesses to collaborate on efforts that empower more women with digital skills – and accelerate gender equality in the workforce,” he adds. 

Joydeep Mukherjee, an MD and lead for Financial Services Industry Group says, “Investments made in building women’s digital skills — through education, training and on-the-job learning — will help speed their progress at every career stage.”