Mobile-optimised work environments drive higher employee engagement and business performance: Study

A new global study, “Mobility, Performance and Engagement” by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has established a measurable link between more mobile-first working environments and an increase in employee engagement, proving that CIOs can drive increased business performance through well-developed and executed mobile strategies. Sponsored by Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, the study showed that companies rated by employees as “pioneers” in how they support mobile technology saw a rise in productivity (16 percent), creativity (18 percent), satisfaction (23 percent), and loyalty (21 percent), when compared to organisations that were poorly rated at supporting mobile technology. The report, which surveyed 1,865 employees globally, demonstrates that many workers recognise the benefits of mobile-optimised work environments. In fact, six in ten (60 percent) employees said mobile technology makes them more productive, while more than four in ten (45 percent) believe it causes their creativity to rise. The EIU’s analysis looked to define how the wide adoption of mobile technology was impacting business outcomes by defining the key dimensions of a mobile-first employee experience, then demonstrating how each dimension contributes toward business performance. A number of key trends stood out: Working anytime, anywhere - The ability to work anytime, anywhere is seen as having the single-biggest impact on employee productivity, with 49 percent of respondents saying it has the greatest impact on their productivity. - Additionally, 38 percent of respondents identify this as having the greatest impact on how satisfied they are with their employer. The ability to collaborate - Globally, the ability to collaborate effectively was rated the most important factor affecting creativity (38 percent). Another one-third of respondents said it has the greatest impact on their loyalty. - To help foster better collaboration, 42 percent of companies are now using digital collaboration tools that work on mobile – a figure that rises to 56 percent in the UK. Mobile messaging apps, such as Whatsapp, are also used for work by 31 percent of organisations, peaking at 66 percent in Singapore. Access to mobile information - 42 percent of employees say that the ability to access information quickly and easily has the greatest impact on their productivity levels. - Currently, 54 percent of companies are providing access to the company network from any mobile device to support working anywhere in the office or remotely. Workplace freedom - For 32 percent of employees, being able to work anywhere within the office is the biggest contributing factor to their creativity, meaning a company can potentially gain more creative output just by offering some choice. A further 29 percent declare that workplace flexibility makes the biggest difference to their loyalty. - To foster this freedom, the report finds that 46 percent of companies are now offering a hot-desking environment with mobile connectivity at any location, showcasing that more collaborative work environments are on the rise. The UK offers the highest level of hot-desking (54 percent) followed by Australia and Germany (both 53 percent). Mobile is not just for millenials The EIU study found that a respondent’s age was not a factor in how mobile technology impacts their performance and engagement. In fact, it dispels the popular notion that mobile working is the domain of the younger generation, making it even more critical for organisations to place mobile technology as a top priority. The distinctions were made between respondents who consider themselves early adopters of technology – those whom Aruba defines as #GenMobile – and those who consider themselves as laggards. Early adopters are significantly more likely to report that mobile technology makes them more productive (72 percent of this group agree with this statement, compared to 50 percent of laggards), satisfied (59 percent versus 48 percent), creative (52 percent versus 40 percent), and loyal to their employer (44 percent versus 31 percent). However, these #GenMobile respondents are also more demanding. 40 percent say they would never work for a company that did not allow them to use their own mobile devices for work, compared to 22 percent of all employees.