Tablets Enhancing Productivity as Market Share Grows: Survey

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While it s no surprise that employees admit to logging in after hours and on vacation, new data reveals they’re increasingly using their personal tablets to maintain a work/life balance. According to survey results from Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., more than 60 percent of tablet owners even admit to powering on their tablet during vacation to check in with the office or do work.

Tablets represent the latest device to bridge the worlds of both home and office, in part because of their convenience, ease of use and portability. About 80 percent of tablet owners say they enjoy an improved work/life balance because of the technology and cite the following business benefits: Increased productivity (almost 60 percent of survey respondents say they get more work done using a tablet), centralized communication (more than 40 percent said staying connected with colleagues and clients was the primary motivator for buying a tablet) and ease of use (about 75 percent of tablet users check email. One-third review and edit documents on their device.)

The number one motivator for owning a tablet (at more than 90 percent) is the convenience of portability. Being able to tuck a tablet into a portfolio or small bag was more important than the ability to video conference, the device s operating system or easy access to office email and VPN.  Convenience was so important to survey respondents that they also admitted using a tablet in bed (78 percent), in the bathroom (35 percent), and at a restaurant (30 percent).

With the rise of tablets being used as a business device, there is concern about security. As with any device, Staples recommends good security and data protection practices to guard against data loss or malware. Currently, two-thirds of tablet owners do not regularly back up data on their devices. With the advent of hosted cloud services, data can be stored on a remote server rather than on the tablet. This way, if the device is lost or stolen, work documents and other data are not at risk. Tablet users should also install and update security software. Less than 15 percent of those surveyed have installed encryption or anti-virus software on their tablets.

"Tablets offer fantastic convenience and a better work/life balance, making it easy for employees to keep information with them and utilize business apps, no matter where they go. For employers, the benefit is having a more productive workforce that s always connected to what s happening at the office,” said Ed Ludwigson, vice president and general manager for Staples Technology Solutions, the technology products and services division of Staples Advantage.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Tablets Enhancing Productivity as Market Share Grows: Survey

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