How Your Computer Use
Correlates to Income

According to research published in January by the Institute for the Study of Labor, how you use your computer affects your income.

Sadly, the differences aren't just between computer users and non-users, but also between men and women.

Let's get right to it. The most significant finding is whether or not someone uses both e-mail and the Internet. Those who are proficient in these areas tend to make more money.

Gender gap

Now for the gender differences. If you're a male who regularly uses e-mail and the Internet at work, you probably make about 17 percent more money than a man who is not skilled in those applications, no matter what the age.

Unfortunately for females, age is a factor. The research found that older women who regularly use e-mail and the Internet enjoy the same 17 percent advantage as the men, but younger females with those same skills earn only 9 percent more than peers who aren't proficient in those programs.

Pay differences between genders also exist when looking at general computer abilities. Women who are generally computer literate receive an average 27 percent higher wage over a woman who isn't experienced with computers. Place men in that scenario and the differences are between 29 and 40 percent.

The researchers did not explore the reasons why these discrepancies exist between genders. Neither did they identify why email and the Internet are the applications that correlated to the differences in pay. But they did offer some possibilities for consideration.

The reseachers' speculations

• It could be that a person who already holds a high-paying position must rely on e-mail to maintain the pace of communication necessary to keep up with demands.


• Or it could be that a person already has a large network of connections and simply uses e-mail to maintain and capitalize on those connections.


• Or it could be a person has created a large network of connections by capitalizing on e-mail's ease-of-use.

One guess is as good as any. It could simply be a matter of the day-to-day duties of higher-paying white-collar positions requiring more use of those programs than blue-collar positions that don't.

Or, when looking at the other two possibilities, it could boil down to a chicken and egg question: Is it familiarity with these applications, or is it having a large network of personal connections?

The answer, as far as I'm concerned, is "Who cares? You need both."

It's not a guarantee, but the research suggests that by improving your email and Internet capabilities along with your networking skills, you improve the odds of earning a bigger chunk of change than someone not experienced in those things.

Need for continual learning

But let's go beyond that. Let's assume a person is computer literate for what his or her job requires.

People become click-a-holics...it really is a nightmare

That's great! But it could also be dangerous. Unintentional (or intentional) ignorance about hidden viruses, phishing scams, and other malware can result in corrupted files, compromised networks, total network meltdowns, and permanently lost data.

Martin Overton, a security specialist at IBM, says that people become click-a-holics. They'll click on every link on web sites, instant messages, or email that intrigues them.

Overton was interviewed by Cnet reporter Joris Evans. "It really is a nightmare," Overton says, because people don't want to learn. "User education is a complete waste of time. It is about as much use as nailing jelly to a wall."

But Peter Cooper, a support and education specialist at Sophos, a security company based in England, isn't such a fatalist. Also interviewed by Evans, Cooper says, "The trick is to know what you're talking about and how to bring the information in a format people understand."

I agree with Cooper. As a training specialist, I believe that success in training comes when it is designed, developed, and delivered in a way that appeals to the learner.

The reality is that people are likely to make better money if they become proficient in using computers. And they increase those odds if they become proficient with email and the Internet.

But even if they're currently skilled for what they need, technology change occurs rapidly. People will either fall behind or open themselves up to the likelihood of malware problems unless they adopt a mindset of continual learning.

One more thing: We shouldn't expect an employer to provide our general computer training. This is our career and our paycheck we're talking about.

If we want a bigger paycheck or a better position, we should prove to the employer that we're worth it by investing in ourselves.

Dan Bobinski is a training specialist, author, and an accomplished keynote speaker. He is also the president of Leadership Development, Inc., providing workforce and management training to Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller, regional concerns for more than 18 years. In addition to being a certified behavioral analyst, Dan holds an M.Ed. in Human Resource Training and Development, a B.S. in Workforce Education and Development, and he is currently completing his doctoral work in Adult and Organizational Learning at the University of Idaho.

Specializing now in Train the Trainer workshops and The Manager as Trainer classes, Dan's prevailing philosophy is that managers also need to learn to think like trainers, equipping those below them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for workplace excellence. Dan can be reached at (208) 375-7606. Visit his thought-provoking blog, and his company website.

Some Related Articles:

Get Email Under Control!
Incompetence at the Speed of Light
How Multitasking and E-mail Waste Time
Does Communication Technology Interefere With Communication?
Five Steps to Reinvent Your Career
The Allure of Scarcity