How do you engage your non-IT users within your business? 

Do you offer online or face-to-face training on how to use computer software? 

Most of us have sat through extensive IT workshops, perhaps this is when you’ve been hired by a new company, or you have attended an annual refresher course. 

Whatever the reason for attending, these courses can be overwhelming for most, especially those that aren’t ‘tech savvy’. 

How many of the UK population are non-IT users?

According to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sports, in 2017, 1 in 10 adults in the UK had never used the internet. This is a considerable part of the population that is digitally excluded.

The report found that the reasoning behind this digital divide was due to a lack of connectivity, digital skills and motivation. 

The report predicts that in 20 years time, 90% of jobs will have a digital aspect to them, therefore, will require a large proportion of the population to be IT literate, otherwise they risk being alienated from the digital economy. 

We must be able to offer equal opportunities for IT skills training to everyone, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, health conditions or socio-economic status. 

An examination into Non-IT users in Wales:

In 2011, the Welsh Government conducted a social research analysis on digital inclusion across Wales. 

What were the key findings: 

  • According to the research, 34% of adults in Wales were digitally excluded in 2010, the most recent estimate from the Welsh Government’s National Survey puts the proportion of adults who have never used the internet in their lifetime, at 31%. 
  • Between 2007-2010, the proportion of 18-25 year olds that used the internet remained steady at around 9 out of 10, while internet use increased in all other age groups. 
  • The most striking increase in internet use was among those living in social housing. Between 2007 and 2010, the proportion of those living in social housing that used the internet increased from 4 out of 10, to 6 out of 10. 
  • Older people, those with lower socio-economic status, individuals with limited disabilities and those with lower educational attainment are more likely to be digitally excluded. 
  • An important distinction is made between digital disengagement through personal choice and through socio-economic or health constraints. Digital disengagement through personal choice is closely linked to the age and life stage of an individual, with those who are not interested in using the internet tending to be older and retired people. 
  • Evidence from the ONS (2010) suggests that in Britain, personal choice is the most reported reason for not having household internet access, with 6 out of 10 non-users reporting that they had no need or desire to have household access. In comparison, 3 out of 10 non-IT users reported that equipment or access costs were too high, and 2 out of 10 reported lack of skills as the main reason. 

This is a short overview of a statistical report conducted by the Welsh Government in 2011, the full report is much more in-depth, consisting of 69 pages. 

Evidence suggests that a clear relationship exists between general literacy and digital literacy, with general literacy difficulties and a lack of confidence in skills contributing to the barriers of being digitally engaged. 

What are some of the negative effects of being digitally excluded?

  • Cycle of deprivation – As digital engagement becomes the norm, the disadvantages of being digitally excluded will become more severe. 
  • Employment – Digital inclusion allows for greater flexibility in working (working from home), as well as those that are non-IT users will be unable to apply for jobs online. 
  • Education – The digitally excluded will not be able to view information or past research quickly and easily online, therefore, possibly resulting in poorer grades than those that are digitally inclusive. 
  • Consumer implication – the digitally excluded are not able to make transactions online, online banking is not a possibility, it removes the ability to source cheaper prices online for products. 
  • Personal wellbeing – The digitally excluded are not able to take part in online communities to aid in personal wellbeing, communication is more difficult and so might be receiving help when needed. 

Looking into the future: Has Covid-19 further highlighted the digital divide?

Simply put, yes. 

Those that couldn’t afford access to the internet, or those who couldn’t use digital technology due lack of knowledge found themselves incredibly isolated when the pandemic locked down all of the UK in 2020. 

1.7 million Britons are isolated by Covid-19 due to not being online, with no way to communicate with the outside world via the internet, as well as the inability to physically buy clothing or visit the bank due to their closure. 

Researchers at the University of Cambridge, Hannah Holmes and Dr Gemma Burgess, wrote a poignant piece entitled ‘“Pay the Wifi or Feed the Children”: Coronavirus Has Intensified the UK’s Digital Divide’. 

In this piece, they spoke about lockdown turning the problem of digital exclusion into a catastrophe, in which the education of children and livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable populations across the UK are being destroyed due to their inability to get online. 

Since the imposing of lockdown onto the UK population in March 2020, the only sense of normality was achieved through the ability to communicate and engage online, however, 22% of the UK population lacked basic digital skills before the pandemic, leaving them isolated from the rest of the population. 

The likelihood of having access to the internet from home increases along with income. Only 51% of households earning between 6,000 and 10,000 had internet access in 2020, compared to 99% of households earning 40,000+. This signifies a clear link between poverty and digital exclusion. 

What can organisations do to better improve their IT training and boost digital inclusivity?

Organisations must engage their employees better when it comes to digital engagement, as each individual will have a varying knowledge of digital technology. Therefore, the right training must be in place to ensure that every individual is receiving equal opportunities for growth within the business, regardless of their digital knowledge. 

6 Simple ways to better engage non-IT users: 

  • Don’t assume anything – By making assumptions about the breadth of an individual’s technological knowledge can confuse the situation, instead, start from the basics and work from there. If it has already been spoken about before, it is always better to readdress it, rather than skimming over it. 
  • Don’t try to do too much – Be realistic in how much information an individual will be able to consume in one session, don’t overwhelm them with too much, otherwise this can backfire. 
  • Don’t be patronising – Don’t talk down to a non-IT user, even if this is not your intention, you must be aware of the way that you speak and how you explain the technology to the individual, by using language which will be unfamiliar to them, it will cause unnecessary issues. 
  • Be mindful not to dump statistics on them – Even though data and statistics are incredibly helpful in representing the positives of technological systems, it can cause confusion and muddy the waters before the foundations have been laid. 
  • Test out your training beforehand – Ask a non-IT user to sit in on your presentation beforehand in order to make improvements before finalising it. 
  • Ask for feedback – Always ask for feedback, perhaps you are delivering IT training for your business, or use an online training platform, whatever the case, always ask for feedback and use this to improve your service. You will find that there are always ways to improve. 

Wellbeing with Cari’ Commitment to Equal Opportunities for All

We want to help everybody in every organisation improve their wellbeing and performance with wellbeing technology, even if they aren’t confident in their tech skills. We believe every individual should have an equal opportunity to receive excellent wellbeing care from their organisation. This is why Cari is designed with ease at her heart: she takes you step by step through how to maximise the potential of your people.

When you sign a contract with Cari you will receive one to one support to help you get the most from her platform – enabling you to help each and every one of your team members to maximise their wellbeing and be provided with the right support, at the right time, and in the right way.

Here at Wellbeing with Cari, we believe that everyone should be psychologically safe and feel the joy of peak performance at work. Our mission is to use neuroscience and AI technology to solve the problem of presenteeism by seeing behind a brave face. 

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