The rise of Mobilocracy
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010 Karen Ambrose Hickey, Editor
In looking up “-ocracy,” I found that it was defined as “government by a particular sort of people or according to a particular principle.” Mobility is becoming the rule, often defining part of the IT strategy. 2010 was filled with stories about the new iPad, iPhone and Android devices inundating the workplace, brought in as personal devices by employees and executives.
After a year of data about the mobile workforce, we have quantified the trends surrounding the mobile workforce, including their chosen tools to increase productivity. Are you a Mobile Maniac or “multi-mobile”?
In our Year End Review, we also make five predictions for 2011.
- The Rise of the Mobilocracy – end users are also consumers, and have educated themselves on these new devices and on how they would like to use them in the workplace
- Move towards individual-liable devices – companies will start to include employee-bought devices in the mobility infrastructure.
- Changes in enterprise security – less control over devices increases the need for security policies and control.
- The “trivialization of place” – where someone works is less important. What matters is that they are connected and get their work done.
- Redefining social boundaries – when do you disconnect…or do you? That’s for you to figure out. We had interesting feedback on that one.
I just returned from a personal trip in which I carried three mobile devices, and no laptop. I wasn’t working (OK, peeking at email), but I still needed to stay in touch. I had two Android smartphones (one for the US and one for Europe) and an iPad. I decided that I could leave the laptop behind for the first time.
Earlier this year, we introduced our Mobile Employees Bill of Rights, which captures these new sentiments. See our tongue-in-cheek video on what we feel are the inalienable rights of the mobile worker.
Tags: enterprise mobility, iPad, iPhone, mobile device, mobile employee, mobile workforce, wi-fi access
