Have you ever wondered how much of the Mobile Working craze is simply hype? Or could it be that the climate of work is genuinely shifting to a more fluid, on-the-go style to reflect the technology that we use in our personal lives?
The folks at iPass must have been wondering the same thing, because they conduct extensive research into the Mobile Workforce market every quarter and release their findings in the form of a report. Here’s what they found out this time:
Mobile employees are working harder: Over half of the mobile employees surveyed are working 50 to 60 hours per week, often working during weekend daytime too. There was a 16% increase in mobile workers waking during the night due to stress.
They “steal” Wi-Fi: 29% of those surveyed admitted to using unsecured wireless networks without permission and almost a third have actually driven around in their car to try and locate a free Wi-Fi signal.
Meetings should be mobile-free zones: Using mobile devices during meetings bothers 57% of those surveyed, with it being far less acceptable in Europe than in North America to use your phone in the boardroom. Almost a third of respondents felt that it would distract from the meeting, with 14% believing it to be the height of rudeness!
Mobile working no longer a privilege: Many (62%) now see mobile working as their right and three quarters of those surveyed would rather work unconventionally than be chained to a desk.
It can still be frustrating: A massive 78% had problems trying to access corporate data remotely and for over half of those the problem was incompatibility, with applications not being optimised for smartphones and tablets being the main issue. Others had problems with over zealous data security and remembering passwords.
Laptops still favoured for work tasks: Only 15% of tablet owners perceive them as work devices, regardless of whether or not it is owned by the business. They primarily use them for streaming and social media, switching to the laptop for most other work tasks.
Are you a mobile worker? Do you agree with the survey? Let us know in the comments section below.
