Human resource digital readiness in the European union

Background In recent years, digital competencies have become progressively more valuable in the labour market, and digital skills are increasingly becoming a prerequisite for employment. Objective Our research focuses on the digital literacy of human capital in the 27 EU Member States. Methods Using mathematical-statistical methods, correlation graph matrix and panel regression, we searched for significant correlations that can impact the digital readiness of human resources. The Hausman test suggests that the random effects panel regression model should be used along with the two main types of multivariate panel regression. We used Eurostat databases and the first dimension (human resources) of the DESI index for 2017–2022 for our analyses. Results Our analysis revealed several significant factors influencing digital readiness: a 10% increase in STEM student enrolment raises the DESI index by 6 percentage points; €10,000 higher real GDP per capita increases digital readiness by 4.9%; a €10 billion increase in public education spending improves the HC index by 1%. Conversely, each additional 1000 students in mobility programs decreases the HC index by 0.028 percentage points, while each decade of delayed EU accession correlates with a 2.3% lower HC index. Conclusions Complementing descriptive statistics with our methods helps link macroeconomics and practical solutions for digital readiness.