When we talk about “digital skills”, it helps to have a shared reference point. Across Europe, that reference is DigComp — the European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens, now in version 2.2. It describes what it means to be digitally competent in everyday life and work, and it offers a remarkably useful lens for understanding the demands of remote HR.
Developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, DigComp is used across the EU to design training, assess skills and shape policy. Because RemoteHeR anchors its curriculum in this framework, the skills learners gain are recognised and transferable far beyond a single course or country.
The five competence areas
- Information and data literacy — finding, evaluating and managing digital information and data.
- Communication and collaboration — interacting, sharing and working with others through digital tools, and managing one’s digital identity.
- Digital content creation — producing and editing content, and understanding licensing and copyright.
- Safety — protecting devices, personal data, privacy, health and the environment.
- Problem solving — resolving technical issues and using digital tools creatively to meet needs.
In total the framework breaks these areas into 21 specific competences, each described at progressive levels of proficiency — from basic tasks carried out with guidance, all the way to advanced, expert practice. Version 2.2 adds hundreds of up-to-date examples, including how competences apply to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
From framework to HR practice
Each area maps directly onto the daily reality of remote HR:
- Managing employee records and spotting trends draws on information and data literacy.
- Running virtual onboarding and team meetings relies on communication and collaboration.
- Producing training materials, policies and internal guides calls for digital content creation.
- Protecting sensitive personnel data is a matter of safety.
- Troubleshooting tools or designing better workflows is everyday problem solving.
Measuring progress, not just activity
One of DigComp’s quiet strengths is that it makes competence visible. Because each skill is described at defined levels, learners can see where they stand today and what the next step looks like. This turns “getting better with computers” — a vague and sometimes intimidating goal — into a clear, staged journey. For someone rebuilding confidence after time away from work, that clarity matters enormously.
Why this matters for RemoteHeR
By building its training on an established European framework, RemoteHeR ensures that the skills learners gain are recognised, transferable and aligned with wider EU goals for digital inclusion. It also gives trainers a common vocabulary and learners a portable record of what they can do — a foundation they can carry into any workplace, in any partner country and beyond.