Digital Literacy and Knowledge Sharing Among Young Professionals: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

The increasing integration of digital technologies into hybrid and remote workplaces has fundamentally transformed how knowledge is created, shared and applied among early-career professionals. Although digital literacy is widely recognised as an essential workplace competency, its contribution to knowledge sharing within Knowledge Management remains insufficiently understood.  Existing KM research has largely focused on technological infrastructures ad formal knowledge-sharing systems, with comparatively limited attention given to the social, behavioural and relational mechanisms through which digital literacy influences knowledge sharing in digital mediated workplaces. To address this gap, this study adopted a sequential mixed-methods design integrating a systematic literature review with qualitative focus group discussions involving early-career professionals working across multiple industries. Findings from both data sources were analysed thematically and integrated to generate comprehensive insights into digitally enabled knowledge-sharing practices.  The integrated analysis identified three interconnected themes: digital fluency as an enabler of knowledge sharing, the growing importance of informal digital knowledge ecosystems, and the critical role of trust, psychological safety and organisational culture in shaping knowledge-sharing behaviour. The findings demonstrate that digital literacy extends beyond technical competence to include behavioural and relational capabilities that shape knowledge-sharing activities. Although participants reported high levels of digital fluency, effective knowledge sharing depended upon organisational norms, trust, psychological safety and confidence. Informal digital platforms emerged as valuable spaces for collaborative learning, yet also created challenges relating to credibility, visibility and knowledge validation. The study advances Knowledge Management research by conceptualising digital literacy as a multidimensional capability that facilitates knowledge sharing through social interaction, trust and collaborative engagement rather than technical competence alone. The findings provide practical guidance for organisations seeking to develop digitally enabled knowledge-sharing cultures by strengthening psychological safety, supporting informal learning and aligning digital technologies with organisational knowledge-sharing practices.