Enterprise mobility segmentation – the iPass Mobile Workforce Report
Thursday, May 20th, 2010 Karen Ambrose Hickey, Editor
On Monday I read the Federal Computer Week feature titled “Flexibility is the New Norm.” I thought the timing was apropos since we were finalizing this quarter’s Mobile Workforce Report giving a deeper look at the needs behind enterprise mobility. The purpose of the report is to define the behavior and characteristics of the mobile workforce. This quarter’s report is themed around productivity, and we asked questions about the mobile employees’ work week, how often they telecommute, what tools aid productivity, what tools detract from productivity and does mobile technology have any impact on work/life balance.
We live in a high tech bubble, particularly in some urban areas, so when I talked with my colleagues about the results, the response was — so what? Workplace flexibility has been the norm for us since we learned to use a Palm (I had a Visor!) and got our DSL up and running at home more than 9 years ago. Several people admitted to being obsessive mobile device users (you know who you are!), and this does impact their work/life balance. Most people telecommute at least occasionally, everyone works 45 hours or more a week … that seems to be the nature of working in the high tech industry or living in that environment.
I guess my point is that no industry is immune to the changes taking place as the nature of work changes. Our 1,400 survey respondents and our usage data from half a million mobile workers represent a mobile workforce that spans industries. It’s a workforce also in a demographic shift. But the Federal Computer Week article got me thinking. Even for most slow moving industries, workplace flexibility has become the new norm.
If an enterprise decides to accept the fact that every employee is now a potential mobile user, then to embrace mobility it must understand that there are different segments of mobile workers. Policy and mobile technology cannot be a one-size-fits–all approach. The mobile maniacs who check their smartphone obsessively during downtime, and work 60 hours or more a week, may have different needs and job roles than the minimalists who work less hours, have less off-hour demands, and who view personal time, as just that; personal time.
Take a look at the report and see if you can find your segment >>
Tags: enterprise mobility, mobile employee, mobile workforce, Reports
