5 top tips to boost your workforce’s digital confidence 

Across UK businesses, employees are struggling with everything from basic password management to collaborating in the cloud. But without a clear view of the digital skills gap, it’s hard to know where to begin.

At FutureDotNow, we’re working with employers nationwide to change that – and one simple tool is already helping HR and digital leaders pinpoint where the real problems lie.

Here’s how to get started.

1. Get the truth: run a skills self-assessment

Too many organisations guess where the digital skills gaps are. Or provide broad brushstroke skills training to cover all bases. It’s critical to gain an accurate view of the actual levels of digital capability in your organisation.

Our free Colleague Self-Assessment Tool gives provides real data direct from employees – across 20 essential digital tasks aligned to a national framework.

It’s quick, easy, and anonymous – and within days, you’ll know:

• Where confidence is low
• What’s missing in your baseline digital skills
• How ready your workforce is for digital transformation

Our Colleague Self-Assessment Tool is free to use for signatories of the Workforce Digital Skills Charter and FutureDotNow members.

✅ Action: if you’re already part of our coalition, share the tool with a pilot team or department this week and start building your digital skills picture. If not, find out how to get involved.

If you’re already part of the coalition and would like access to the self-assessment tool, let us know at hello@futuredotnow.uk. 

2. Align L&D with what your people actually need

Once you’ve got insight, you can stop throwing spaghetti at the wall. Much digital training is generic, poorly attended, or quickly forgotten. When you know the skills gaps, your learning offer can actually move the dial—and boost your L&D ROI.

✅ Action: Use self-assessment results to tailor or commission focused training that addresses real gaps.

3. Build the business case with confidence

Whether you’re bidding for budget or reporting to the board, proving impact matters. The self-assessment gives you measurable evidence to show how many people are below baseline – and track how this changes over time.

This isn’t just useful – it’s powerful. It lets you show how you’re building capability, not just delivering courses.

✅ Action: Present the results as part of your next digital or workforce transformation update.

4. Create a shared language around digital

Many internal efforts fail because teams don’t share a clear view of what basic digital skills actually means. Using the Essential Digital Skills Framework (which underpins our tool) gives everyone – from execs to entry-level staff – a shared standard to work from.

✅ Action: Use the framework to align internal conversations and set consistent digital expectations across roles.

5. Don’t go it alone – join a national movement

Over 200 organisations are already working with FutureDotNow to improve digital skills across the UK workforce. From best-practice sharing to tools, workshops and strategic support, we’re helping employers like you move faster and go further.

✅ Action: Become a Workforce Digital Skills Charter signatory or talk to us about membership to unlock support and connections that make the journey easier.

Ready to find the gaps and close them?

Use the Colleague Self-Assessment today to take the guesswork out of digital upskilling.