The Current State of Digital Skills in the Workplace

The 2024 EU Digital Decade report shows that 72.9% of the Irish population possesses at least basic digital skills, a figure that far exceeds the EU average of 55.6%. However, this high general literacy masks a deep and problematic gap in advanced or job-specific skills.

This gap is evident in everyday tasks: while mobile phone use for browsing and social media is near-universal, a 2022 Accenture Digital Index found that 25% of respondents are not comfortable creating or editing documents.

Some of the key statistics in a report on the digital capabilities in Irish SMEs from Google and Amárach, "Bridging the Gap", illustrate the depth of the challenge:

• A majority (62%) of Irish SMEs report being "less than halfway" on their digital journey.
• The core issue is a skills deficit. Almost half (46%) of SMEs feel their employees have "none" or "few" of the skills needed to adopt and use new technologies.
• Only 26% of SME leaders say their employees have all the skills needed for basic digital capabilities.

With the recent proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) integration into existing workflows, this gap is widening. A 2025 report from Skillnet Ireland demonstrates this increasing gap, with almost 80% of businesses stating that staff will require digital upskilling in the coming years to perform their roles.

The challenge in today's workspace is to transition the workforce from passive digital consumption to active digital creation and complex management, which involves data analysis, cloud architecture, and sophisticated document collaboration.

What is Creating this Demand for Digital Literacy?

There are a few factors contributing to the growing need for digital literacy across a broad range of sectors, including:

• COVID-19 speeding up the remote work revolution. 
• Rise in international WFH practices. 
• SME digitisation and the evolution of co-working spaces. 
• Shift toward cloud-based tools. 
• AI adoption races.

As a result, Google Workspace has been repositioned from a specialised IT skill to a new baseline for all employees. Google estimates its Search and Workspace tools produce a €560 billion productivity improvement in the EU and save 17 million UK worker hours per week. Yet, it remains true that only 26% of SME leaders say their employees have all the skills needed for basic digital capabilities. 

This is evidenced by our experience at Damson Cloud, where we have provided businesses with live training sessions on Gmail productivity or Google Drive and permissions. Users don’t know what they don’t know; they're time-poor and don’t know where to look to uncover the functionality that will help increase productivity and efficiency.  

Where can Companies Look to Increase Digital Literacy?

Fortunately, there are several ways businesses of all sizes can help their employees improve their digital capabilities. 

Google-Led Initiatives

Google directly offers two major upskilling platforms, targeting different segments of the workforce: 

• Google Skills - A new learning platform with a diverse learning catalog. These courses vary in length and complexity, and require the learner to self-navigate with limited interaction. 
• Google Career Certificates - Flexible online training that provides "job-ready skills" for in-demand specific job roles. The certificates on offer align directly with the most acute skills gaps in the Irish market, including Data Analytics, Digital Marketing & E-commerce, Cybersecurity, and IT Support. 

Public-Private Partnerships and State-Level Response

In addition to Google’s education platforms, there is a growing network of public–private initiatives designed to strengthen digital skills across the workforce. 

• “You’re the Business” - Developed in partnership with Google, providing free training to SMEs to improve their online presence, digital marketing, and e-commerce capabilities. 
• CeADAR - Providing projects that help businesses understand, adopt and leverage the benefits and value of AI and machine learning. 
• SOLAS’s Skills & Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU) - By analysing where digital skills gaps are emerging, they shape national training strategies and guide where funding, apprenticeships, and new learning programmes are needed most. 
• Skillnet Ireland - Partners with 57 industry bodies to fund and design talent development programs for over 24,700 businesses, responding directly to sector demands. 

Damson Cloud Offerings

Companies that want to develop their digital skills often benefit from structured, expert-led training that supports real-day-to-day adoption. At Damson Cloud, we provide an academy for Google Workspace training, helping teams build confidence, work more efficiently, and get far more value from the tools they already use.

• Live Training 

Our live Google Workspace training sessions are designed to suit everyone, from new starters to long-time users. Each session can focus on specific tools or broader workflows, and can be delivered online or in person. With options for small-group sessions, larger webinars, and one-to-one support, employees gain practical skills they can start implementing immediately in their day-to-day work.

• Google Workspace User Academy

For companies that prefer flexible, self-paced learning, the Google Workspace User Academy offers clear video tutorials covering Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets and other core Workspace apps. It supports both onboarding and ongoing upskilling, making it easy for users to improve their digital literacy over time.

• Google Workspace Admin Academy

Administrators can build their confidence and technical understanding through the Admin Academy. This Google Workspace training platform includes walkthrough videos on user and group management, security settings, mobile device management, licensing, and more. With a better understanding of the Admin Panel, you can maintain a secure Workspace environment.

• Generative AI Introduction Bundle

This introductory AI bundle shows teams how to make practical use of tools like the Gemini App and NotebookLM. It’s a simple way for employees to discover how AI can support research, content creation and everyday productivity, without needing a technical background. Streamlining workflows with AI can have a lasting impact on operations. 

• Learning Needs Analysis

To ensure businesses get the most value from their training investment, our Learning Needs Analysis provides a deeper understanding of how employees currently use Google Workspace. This includes tailored surveys, engagement reporting and clear insights into skill gaps. The findings help create a training roadmap that aligns directly with organisational goals.

3 Easy Steps Your Business Can Take Today

For businesses that want to get started on their digital upskilling journey immediately, here are three straightforward steps you can implement today to start bridging the skills gap:

• Carry Out an Internal 'Digital Check-Up'

Don’t assume you know where the gaps are. Start by running a quick, informal survey or having one-on-one conversations about core Workspace tools your employees feel least confident using. Focus on critical, day-to-day tasks such as 'creating a shared document with access permissions,' 'setting up a recurring team meeting,' or 'filtering data in a spreadsheet.' This simple act of discovery is the first step toward investing in a focused training plan.

• Designate a 'Digital Champion'

Appoint an enthusiastic, technically proficient employee to act as an internal resource for specific Workspace tools or workflows. This person doesn't replace the need for formal training, but they can become a first line of support for anyone struggling with everyday essentials. Whether they assist with one-to-one queries or provide short knowledge-sharing sessions on high-impact features, this creates a culture of continuous learning.

• Use Free, On-Demand Resources

Encourage your teams to look at the variety of free learning resources already available. For core Google Workspace skills and knowledge, this could include the Damson Cloud YouTube channel or blog page. For advanced, job-specific skills, teams can explore free introductory courses on platforms like Coursera or the content available through Google Skills.

Arranging Training for Google Workspace

Bridging the gap between basic digital literacy and the job-specific skills your organisation needs starts with understanding where those gaps actually lie. Many employees feel confident with everyday browsing, yet struggle with core tasks such as document creation, collaboration, and workflow management. 

Contact Damson Cloud today to discuss a Learning Needs Assessment and gain insights into users’ current engagement and feature awareness. Training options can then be designed to strengthen digital capability across your teams, covering the entire Google Workspace suite, including Generative AI tools. Google Workspace training courses can help build long-term confidence in the tools you rely on every day.