Why Businesses Are Going Mobile

The mobile revolution is great news for businesses.

Mobile devices can boost worker efficiency and productivity. Users can finish projects from home, communicate with colleagues while traveling and keep the business running even when disasters close the office. They can upload notes and forms directly to the corporate server rather than gathering data in the field and transcribing it back at the office. They can even take photos and scan documents from the road.

As many as 89 percent of workers surveyed say that mobility makes them more efficient on the job, which extends beyond work hours. Because employees have smartphones and tablets with them wherever they go, they check email, communicate with clients and colleagues and work on projects even when they are not on the clock.

What’s more, 80 percent of professionals feel the flexibility in work hours is a good thing. Mobile devices also give them the flexibility to do their work when and where it is most convenient, rather than being chained to a desk from 9 to 5. Mobile technology also allows users to take care of personal responsibilities during the day (such as responding to email at the doctor’s office or taking a work call while commuting). That flexibility, for many, equates to a better work/life balance.

With mobile technology, users have access to a seemingly endless supply of applications to help them work better, smarter and more efficiently. More than half of workers say that apps help them do their jobs better. With a smartphone in hand, a user can access document scanners, project management resources, dictation tools and contracts wherever they are. Two-thirds of workers say their productivity would be even higher with more apps.

These apps help staff to effectively communicate and collaborate with colleagues and clients. They provide workers with 24/7 access to email, messaging tools and document-sharing services. Microsoft’s Office 365 brings together the best-in-class tools in each of these categories. A project team with members scattered across the globe can co-author a document in real time and video conference daily, staying just as connected as if they were down the hall from one another. An employee who travels during an important presentation can participate via smartphone or tablet while waiting for a connecting flight.

Not only can mobility make workers more productive, it can boost morale as well. Since so many people use mobile devices in their personal lives, it’s natural for them to use the same devices on the job. Most workers appreciate employers that equip them with the powerful mobile tools they use in their personal lives.

While the advantages of mobility are clear, the objective for organizations is to provide employees with the tools to do their jobs anywhere on any device without losing control of their infrastructures. With the influx of additional devices and applications being used by staff, this is a challenging goal. By implementing a suite of tools to deploy, manage and secure both the on-premises and the mobile infrastructure, organizations can stay in control and reap the rewards of mobility while minimizing risk.

For more information on the value and complexities of mobility, read the white paper “The Tools to Power a New Way to Work.”