199/2018 - 20 December 2018

Internet use in the EU, 2018 – digitalisation at work

16% of employed internet users reported
changes in their job tasks due to new software
or computerised equipment

At the beginning of 2018, 87% of people in the European Union (EU), aged between 16 and 74 years, had used
internet at least once in the last twelve months. Of those internet users that were employed, 71% reported using
computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets or other portable devices at work and 19% used computerised equipment
or machinery.

The job tasks of 16% of employed internet users in the EU had changed due to new software or computerised
equipment in the twelve months prior to the survey, and 29% had to learn how to use new software or equipment for
their job. Almost half (47%) of employed internet users in the EU assessed their skills relating to the use of
computers, software or applications at work as adequate for their duties, while 18% had more skills than required
for the current duties and 9% admitted that they needed further training.
The most common work activities with computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets or other portable devices or
computerised equipment in the EU were exchanging emails or entering data in databases (61%), creating or editing
electronic documents (47%) and using specific occupational software (38%). Applications to receive tasks or
instructions were used by 22% of employed internet users and social media were used for work by 18%. 9% of
employed internet users were involved in developing or maintaining IT systems or software.

This information, issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, is part of the results of the
survey conducted in 2018 on ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) usage in households and by
individuals.

Digital activities at work in the EU, 2018

(% of employed who used internet in the last 12 months)
70
61
60

50 47

38
40

30
22
18
20
9
10

0
Exchange e-mails, enter Create or edit electronic Use specific occupational Use applications to receive Use social media for work Develop or maintain IT
data into databases documents software tasks or instructions systems or software
9 out of 10 employed internet surfers used computers or computerised equipment at work in the
Netherlands and in the Nordic Member States
In 2018, the highest share of employed internet users used computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets or other
portable devices or computerised equipment at work in the Netherlands (93%), followed by Denmark, Sweden
(both 90%) and Finland (87%). The lowest proportions, below half of the employed internet users, were recorded in
Romania (36%) and Bulgaria (47%).

Use of computers or computerised equipment at work, 2018

(% of employed who used internet in the last 12 months)
100
90
80
EU = 74%
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Cyprus
Italy

Hungary
France
Malta

Greece
Belgium

Slovakia
Austria

Ireland

Latvia

Bulgaria
Estonia
Denmark

Slovenia

Czechia

Romania
Sweden

Finland

Germany
Luxembourg

Spain

Lithuania

Poland
Netherlands

Portugal

Croatia
United Kingdom

New software or computerised equipment changed main job tasks for more than a quarter of
employed internet users in Denmark
The job tasks of 16% of employed internet users in the EU changed due to new software or computerised
equipment in 2018. Those with high education were more likely to be affected by this change than those with
medium and low education (20%, 14% and 9% respectively).
Among the EU Member States, the highest share of employed internet users whose main job tasks changed due to
new software or computerised equipment was registered in Denmark (27%), Luxembourg (25%), Finland,
Sweden and the Netherlands (all 23%). At the other end of the scale, Cyprus (3%), Bulgaria (6%), Romania and
Latvia (both 7%) had the lowest share.

Employed whose main job tasks changed as a result of introduction of new

software or computerised equipment, 2018
(% of employed who used internet in the last 12 months)
30

25

20
EU = 16%
15

10

0
Italy

Hungary

Cyprus
Malta

Greece

Bulgaria
France

Austria

Latvia
Estonia

Belgium
Ireland

Slovakia
Lithuania
Luxembourg

United Kingdom

Slovenia
Netherlands

Czechia

Romania
Finland

Croatia

Spain
Sweden

Poland
Germany
Portugal
Denmark
Geographical information
The European Union (EU) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France,
Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Methods and definitions

The data source is the 2018 Community survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals. The survey covered individuals
aged 16-74. In most countries it was conducted in the second quarter of 2018. Individuals were asked about frequency of
internet use and about activities they had carried out on the internet in the last three or twelve months prior to the survey, at
home or at any other location.
Employed refer to employees, self-employed and family workers.

Timetable
A news release on the use of internet by enterprises was published on 13 December 2018.

For more information

Eurostat website section on digital economy and society statistics.
Eurostat database on digital economy and society.

Issued by: Eurostat Press Office Production of data:

Renata PALEN Bettina OBRINGER

Tel. +352-4301-33444 Tel: +352-4301-32 049
eurostat-pressoffice@ec.europa.eu bettina.obringer@ec.europa.eu

ec.europa.eu/eurostat Jadwiga TUDEK

Tel: +352-4301-36 874
@EU_Eurostat jadwiga.tudek@ec.europa.eu
EurostatStatistics

Media requests: Eurostat media support / Tel: +352-4301-33 408 / eurostat-mediasupport@ec.europa.eu

 Use of computers or computerised equipment at work, 2018
(% of the employed who have used the internet in the last 12 months)
ICT usage at work Activities carried out*
Use computers, Use Use computers Exchange e- Create Use specific Use applications Develop or
laptops, computerised or computerised mails, enter data electronic Use social maintain IT
occupational to receive tasks
smartphones, equipment or into databases documents media for work systems or
equipment software or instructions
tablets machinery software
EU 71 19 74 61 47 38 22 18 9
Belgium 76 32 80 69 43 42 28 17 8
Bulgaria 45 9 47 32 27 18 11 10 2
Czechia 58 29 68 55 48 36 20 13 5
Denmark 88 31 90 74 55 36 19 25 14
Germany 79 20 83 69 55 49 13 15 8
Estonia 74 30 76 68 56 41 40 23 8
Ireland 68 26 72 56 41 28 27 16 9
Greece 60 30 61 48 46 28 15 17 9
Spain 64 16 72 54 42 38 28 21 9
France 76 16 79 62 44 42 26 13 7
Croatia 66 3 69 60 48 31 3 12 5
Italy 71 7 73 59 42 27 17 19 10
Cyprus 60 2 62 50 47 24 12 17 5
Latvia 61 27 65 48 33 31 20 16 4
Lithuania 63 19 65 51 34 33 16 20 4
Luxembourg 82 25 84 72 61 42 27 20 11
Hungary 56 15 58 49 41 32 29 16 8
Malta 81 20 83 70 50 45 36 32 12
Netherlands 91 32 93 79 67 48 35 31 12
Austria 78 19 81 72 53 56 18 18 11
Poland 57 14 59 46 37 25 18 14 5
Portugal 69 16 72 63 37 44 32 20 9
Romania 34 7 36 29 18 15 10 11 2
Slovenia 70 27 74 59 50 35 23 14 13
Slovakia 54 7 61 46 31 17 17 12 2
Finland 85 25 87 80 57 52 38 25 15
Sweden 75 : 90 68 51 36 19 21 11
United Kingdom 76 19 78 66 56 43 33 22 13
Iceland 81 19 84 70 48 45 25 45 12
Norway 90 21 91 84 68 69 51 34 15
* Respondents could select more than one option. : Data not published due to low reliability.