Business has changed, and so too has the technology we use to fuel it. Businesses are utilizing mobile devices to get even more work done both in and out of the office, and as such, it’s a bit difficult to disconnect work life from real life. Let’s look at how mobility has changed the conversation about work and how that perspective has changed over time.
Mobility: On the Rise
Businesses these days need to prioritize mobility if they want to get ahead. This change didn’t just materialize out of nowhere; it has been in the making for years and years, slowly developing from desktop computing, to laptops, to smartphones. Nearly 70 percent of all computing is done through the use of a mobile device, and that number increases with each passing year. Mobile devices have bigger and better screens, fantastic computing capabilities, and more capacity to do the work people need them for.
Here are some of the ways that smartphones are being used in the workplace:
Urgent Matters
Businesses that are accustomed to doing more with less might ask employees to address urgent matters after-hours or while out of the office. These urgent tasks mean that employees need to be reachable so they can provide the requisite support to clients as needed. Technology allows this to happen fairly intuitively, for better or worse.
Responsive Triggers
The smartphone is one of the best tools out there for professionals who need to quickly take notes. You might notice something while out and about, so you take a note on it or snap a quick picture of it. You might even choose to look it up using your browser. It’s all at your fingertips, and it can be sent to the rest of your team at a moment’s notice, too.
Project Management and Scheduling
Businesses run projects and assign tasks to their employees, which means that scheduling and management software will be critical to success. These tools are available with mobility in mind, often being available on mobile apps or in the cloud for easy access, communication, and collaboration.
Networking
Your employees are using their smartphones for all kinds of networking purposes even outside the office, like for social media, browsing the web, or communicating with other important people in their lives. Mobile technology is remarkably handy for this purpose, as it helps people stay connected and form relationships without being limited to the workplace. It’s great for mobile teams who need to collaborate regularly, too.
Problems with a Mobile Workforce
Mobility isn’t a magic bullet, though. Flexibility can solve a lot of problems, but it can also create problems, too. For example, employees might not want to deal with work-related problems while they are out of the office, and they don’t want their boss or contemporaries being able to contact them at a moment’s notice for things that can wait until the morning.
Solutions like mobile device management tools, however, allow businesses to have their employees use their own devices to perform tasks without having to be tethered to the workstation. Some things, like checking email, scheduling tasks, and so on, are just easier to do without being in front of your computer all the time. This is why you have companies who go to great lengths to establish Bring Your Own Device policies—so they give their employees a reason to do these things more often and on their own terms.
Compudata can equip your business with the appropriate tools for the job. To learn more, call us at 1-855-405-8889.