The nexus between digital skills’ dynamics and employment in the pandemic context

Abstract

This paper aims to analyse the relation between the digitalization process and the performance of the labour market in the context of the pandemic. Thus, some relevant indicators were used to measure digital proficiency (individuals using the online tools for interaction with public authorities, for sending/receiving e-mails, for finding information about goods and services, for seeking health-related information, and for doing an online course), while the performance of the labour market was evaluated through the employment rate. The main findings are related to the confirmation of the intensification of digital skills during the pandemic, compared to the period before, the increase in digitalization based mainly on online education, as well as the demonstration of the fact that countries with a high level of digital proficiency have high employment rates, especially during the pandemic.