Technology: you’re no longer chained to your desks!
Technology is enabling increasingly mobile, collaborative ways of working and flexible SMBs are well placed to take advantage. We spoke to some of the technology providers about the benefits, challenges and tools to make it easier for you.
Joel Montgomery, director, PowerBuy
What does a mobile workforce mean to you? Just because your staff can send an email or answer a phone call while on the road doesn’t mean you have a mobile workforce. A truly mobile team is one that can be as productive out of the office as they are at their desk.
Does being mobile improve productivity? It depends who you are and what you do. A manager may argue that their mobile staff are more productive because they have greater access to work-related tools like email but I think staff need to downtime to relax, think and recharge their batteries so being always available may actually be less productive for the business in the long run. I see real estate agents using their iPads at open houses to enter visitors into their database – what a great use of a mobile tool! On the flip side I see white collar professionals spending their train trip typing on their smartphone, which I think is an inefficient way to collaborate and actually impacts productivity.
What part does technology have to play in achieving a truly mobile workforce? Truly effective mobile technology should adapt to an employee’s lifestyle seamlessly. Compare WiFi versus 3G. WiFi has its limitations because you need to be near a hotspot to be connected. 3G, however, can connect you no matter where you are.
Evan Williams, Director SMB, Microsoft
Do you think the Australian workforce is becoming increasingly mobile? Research shows that the majority of desks, typically more than 55 percent in an average office, are empty at any one point in time. More and more work is collaborative, and people spend more time working with others. Technology enables and drives these new, flexible working practices.
Why do employees want the flexibility to be mobile? The key to any management strategy is a company’s people, People fuel the innovation process and creating a productive workplace culture is just as important as an organisation’s product pipeline. Microsoft believes that a positive workplace is critical to attracting and retaining talent, particularly for the newest entrants to the workplace, the Millennial Generation. Gen Ys take digital technology for granted, adapting to the transparency of social networks and openness of location. The aim is to empower workers with more freedom while still holding them accountable for results.
Why is a mobile workforce a good thing for employers and what are the challenges? Through improved collaboration, you are better at supporting partners and customers as one unified team. At the same time, customers are developing higher expectations for shorter response time. Technology must accommodate everyone’s collaboration needs. In addition security is of utmost importance and businesses should always ensure that they select reputable cloud providers
Microsoft Windows Intune can help manage and secure PCs for remote and mobile workers, providing support for users, whether they are working at home, in a remote office, or on the road. For free 30-day trial for up to 25 users, visit www.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/windowsintune/try-and-buy.aspx. For more information on Microsoft’s cloud-based Office 365, visit www.office365.com.au.
Will Irving, group managing director, Telstra Business
What does a mobile workforce mean to you? It’s all about the freedom to work more efficiently, whether at work, at home or out and about, to better manage business and properly balance work and life commitments.
Why do employees want the flexibility to be mobile? Busy people crave flexibility. Smartphones and high-speed mobile broadband are the great enablers. Telstra’s research shows 65 percent of small businesses now have at least one staff member spending most of their time working away from their business location.
Does mobility improve productivity? Most definitely – time is money as the saying goes and 75 percent of Australian small businesses are now equipping staff with laptops, and more than half are equipping employees with smartphones for work purposes so that they can capture the value and be more efficient. Recent Telstra research showed 89 percent of businesses that are using remote working experience a moderate to significant increase in efficiency.
The Telstra USB 4G mobile broadband modem customers can enjoy typical download speeds ranging from 2Mbps to 40Mbps – up to 10 times faster than 3G speeds currently claimed by competing telecommunications companies when in Telstra 4G coverage areas. Telstra 4G coverage is initially available in all capital city CBDs, associated airports and selected regional locations.