Digital Competencies of Russians and Work on Self-Isolation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The massive transition of Russians to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic was possible due to the achieved level of digital competencies, a key component of digital literacy. The paper is based on the materials of self-assessment measurement of digital competencies of the Russian adult population, conducted by Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) and Social Business Group (SBG) at the end of April 2020. The study proposes a classification of digital competencies that are in demand in both routine and professional practices, identifies four quartiles of individual digital competencies depending on the self-assessment of their presence, and portrays four clusters of Russians depending on the level of adaptation to the digital environment.