Think back a decade ago. Things at work were probably very different from what they are today. Mobile technology hadn’t reached mainstream at that point, so the way that we did business had a much different feel to it. Many people would say that mobile technology has been a blessing for their careers.
Today, businesses are more mobile than ever with more than half of the adult population now owning a smart phone, ranging from 80 percent of the young adult population to 18 percent of the senior population, says CNET. How exactly has mobile technology changed the workplace? Learn about the changes below.
Telecommuting Is Easier
Image via Flickr by citrixonline
The number of workers who telecommute has increased by nearly 80 percent since 2005. Why such the drastic leap? Simply put, mobile technology makes it a practical solution. For many people, telecommuting makes more sense. It saves employees and companies money on transportation and office supplies, and employees are generally more comfortable and happy in their own workspace.
And what about mobile technology? It makes all of this possible with the simple tools available to employees today. For instance, applications such as Dropbox make file sharing easy; there’s no need to exchange documents in person. Video conference apps such as Skype eliminate the need to have in-person meetings since team members can accomplish the same tasks via video chat as they could in person. Project management apps such as Asana make teamwork a breeze.
Communication Is A Cinch
Image via Flickr by NEC Corporation of America
Before mobile technology, communicating simply wasn’t as easy. It usually required a lot of waiting for email replies or even having to wait until scheduled meetings to talk with your team. Mobile technology makes it easy for business people to communicate on-the-go. Video chatting and staying up-to-date on social media reduces wait time and the need for in-person meetings that can slow down business decisions. In addition, professionals can stay in touch via email while out and about.
Not only that, but collaborating with your team — even if everyone isn’t in the office together — is easier than ever. Apps such as Podio, Evernote, and Google Apps available on the iPhone 6 allow team members to collaborate on projects from anywhere and usually in real-time.
Even when you’re in the same building, mobile technology helps speed up communication. In fields such as medicine, this can be a very valuable time saver.
Employees Are More Productive
Employees now have access to countless productivity apps that help them track their progress, organize their schedules, and even generate productivity reports so that they can change their habits. Plus, telecommuting has been shown to boost productivity, too, a practice that can be largely attributed to mobile technology’s ease of use. But that’s just the beginning when we consider all the things that mobile technology can do.
First of all, since employees can work with mobile files, they can use their time outside the office to work on something productive from almost anywhere. Another advantage of mobile technology and cloud computing is that people can now access their files from any device. That means that business files, contact information, and more can all be accessed from one phone or computer and be organized easily so that you don’t waste time sifting through everything.
And what about response time? Since mobile technology is in fact mobile, people can easily respond to emails, text messages, and social media comments quickly from anywhere.
With the wave of bring your own device (BYOD) entering the workplace, more people are satisfied with the devices and programs that they’re able to use at work, so they’re generally more happy and productive. According to a Cisco study, BYOD provides employees with an extra 37 minutes of productivity each day, and it saves companies money.
If you haven’t already adopted practices such as telecommuting — even if it’s only one day a week for each employee — and BYOD in your workplace, perhaps it’s time to take advantage of the benefits that mobile technology offers. In what other ways have you personally seen mobile technology change the workplace?
