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The Mobile Workday: A 24x7 Phenomenon

By Dennis McCafferty on 2011-10-04


They’re constantly connected, whether at home, a coffee shop or an airport terminal. These are our modern mobile employees, and they’re increasing their presence and impact upon the enterprise. Yet, despite the fact that they always seem to be on the job, a recent survey conducted by enterprise mobility service provider iPass sheds light on some surprising insights about this culture: More than six of 10 respondents say they’re experiencing better work/life balance now than they did before the advent of mobility tools, in spite of a long work day. There are even a growing number of workers who manage to find some time to unplug. “Even though mobile workers are putting in more hours, we are starting to see the pendulum swing back to the center on disconnecting,” says Barbara Nelson, CTO at iPass. The bottom line for managers is that most respondents feel that workshifting -- the ability to complete tasks whenever and wherever they want to -- enables them to increase their productivity and efficiency. More than 3,100 mobile enterprise employees worldwide took part in the ,survey which was conducted between July 1 and July 15, 2011. Here are eight highlights from the report, plus four best practices for your IT department on the effective oversight of your mobile workforce.

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95%
95% of respondents say their employers either encourage, or at least tolerate, workshifting.

54%
54% of respondents say their productivity is substantially improved due to their flexible schedules.

75%75% of respondents work more hours than before they went mobile, because of the increased flexibility that mobility affords them.

55%
 55% of respondents say they work 10 or more additional hours per week than they did before they went mobile.

62%
 62% of respondents work before their commute to the office at least once or twice a week.

37%
 37% of respondents say they work every evening.

68%
 68% of respondents indicate that they actually disconnect at some point during waking hours, up from just 47% in 2010.

40%  40% of respondents say they’d like an even more flexible work environment than they already have. 

Four Best IT Practices for the Mobile Workplace
1. Incorporate policies that allow for use of a mobile device for work, and cover data security as well as device security. 

Four Best IT Practices for the Mobile Workplace
2. Remind workers about the potential for physical theft of devices on planes, trains, waiting rooms and terminals -- the most likely places where they get stolen.

Four Best IT Practices for the Mobile Workplace
 3. Even if you pay connectivity bills for mobile staffers, send to them monthly reports so they’re aware of their usage.

Four Best IT Practices for the Mobile Workplace
4. Provide information on the costs of different connectivity options so employees can choose the most cost-effective options. 

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