The days of punching in, staring longingly at a clock for exactly 8 hours and then punching out are fading into the past. Today’s workforce is a mobile, agile mega-mix of working from home, taking calls on the run and even putting in some business hours when on holiday. Should we be comfortable with our decentralised and always contactable group of employees? At Smile IT we believe there’s a lot of benefits to be gleaned from a mobile workforce. Here’s a few:
Availability
An effective workplace mobility strategy means your employees are always contactable when you need them, even if they’re not in the office. It works both ways too: not only can they contact you and other staff members at all times, but through apps and software they have all their work resources at their fingertips.
Productivity
The ability to basically run a business from your smartphone has pushed productivity levels to new heights. Processes are streamlined and data can be uploaded in real time. Decisions are made faster with more timely, relevant information at hand, and critical action can be taken at supersonic speeds (where’s my rocket emoji?)!
Motivation
It’s a soul crushing affair being consigned to a small cubicle day after day. Give an employee a bit of relief from normal office hours and a bit of freedom to work from home and they’re going to respond positively to it. They’ll feel liberated, trusted and motivated to get more done.
Younger generations moving into the workforce place an increasing priority on workplace flexibility. Accommodate that, and you’re more likely to attract higher-tier talent and reduce your workforce turnover.
Revenue Potential
The obvious cost saver is the more mobile a workforce, the less we to rely on outdated and expensive landlines. But there are other benefits too. Customer engagement is more instant and interactive, meaning customers feel engaged and cared for. This will promote satisfaction and loyalty, leading to increased revenue over time. Ka-ching!
Enhanced Security
A mobile workforce means you lose control over the connections they use. Businesses have been forced to adapt to this and improve how they handle their cyber-security, which has knock-on effects of making their entire digital footprint more secure. A culture of cyber-security is being built within companies that makes their entire operation safer.
Innovation
As employees adapt to a mobile workforce, they readily adopt technologies that enhance the concept. We now have a gold rush of emerging technologies that make networking, communications and business processes easier to do outside of the office. Think the Cloud, wearable technology, the Internet of Things and so on.
Teamwork
This could be seen as a challenge because employees aren’t dealing with each other face-to-face, but we like to think of it as an advantage. Workers are constantly connected to each other and able to contribute and be heard on projects instantaneously. Internal issues can be taken care of promptly, and distractions are lessened.
To Conclude…
Your workforce is probably already becoming more and more mobile, whether you notice it or not. If you have any questions about the best technology to use to enhance this, and also how best to go about your Mobile Workforce Management, drop the Smile IT team a line here. If you’re looking for ways to keep everything healthy, happy and motivated while they’re in the office, read about ‘How to Stay Healthy at a Desk Job’.
When he’s not writing tech articles or turning IT startups into established and consistent managed service providers, Peter Drummond can be found kitesurfing on the Gold Coast or hanging out with his family!