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.
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.
Joanna Simonfi, Acquisition Marketing Manager, Commander
Do you think the Australian workforce is becoming increasingly mobile? The popularity of smartphones and the significant rise in mobile data usage are signs of the Australian workforce becoming increasingly mobile. Both employers and employees are expected to have constant access to email and mobile which is changing the way in which business communication is being conducted.
What part does technology have to play in achieving a truly mobile workforce? Technology solutions are the key drivers of change in the market. A large portion of businesses now provide their sales force with tablets instead of printed sales presenters. As a result of this, telecommunication providers are competing against each other to release mobile plans with generous mobile data allowances. Phone system vendors include Mobex Lincences which allow the office phone and mobile to ring simultaneously hence employees can work remotely and be able to access both email and phone communication.
Commander, a business communication specialist, offers Clear Choice mobile solutions with generous mobile data allowances. Avaya IP Office 500 is an example of a phone system designed for SMEs which includes 10 Mobile Worker Licenses to support mobility.
James White, marketing manager, Fuji Xerox
What does a mobile workforce mean to you? The knowledge worker of today demands an ‘instant and always on’ access to their corporate data, email and productivity tools. With respect to the document space, this means printing from mobiles and using their mobile devices to browse and access network resources plus scan and manage documents. These users also demand the same access to the resources and services they have whilst at the office when they are mobile, whether at home, on the road or overseas.
Why do employees want the flexibility to be mobile? Simply, people are faced with information overload. Being able to simply navigate this information irrespective of their personal location is key to streamlining their efficiency and productivity.
Does mobility improve productivity? Yes, we believe the two are inherently linked. Our research shows the user will make the best and most efficient use of their time and business demands. Therefore, this flexibility will provide a higher level of productivity and user-based choice. As a technology provider it is our requirement to deliver the tools and solutions to empower this capability.
What part does technology have to play in achieving a truly mobile workforce? Technology is the enabler that empowers mobility. The software and services that enable the mobile infrastructure ensure that security, a common standards approach and platform independence are supported.
In early 2012, Fuji Xerox Australia will be launching Mobile for Enterprise, delivering scan, print and browse functionality for the mobile business professional, integrated with smartphones.
Tim Cowan, General Manager Mobile Products, Optus Small and Medium Business
Do you think the Australian workforce is becoming increasingly mobile?
Absolutely, technology has paved the way for the workforce to become mobile and fluid. Today’s economic environment has driven SMBs to evaluate how they operate and how their workforce conducts their business. With faster networks and smarter mobile broadband devices, a mobile workforce means your employees can get more out of their day, respond in real-time and increase their effectiveness and productivity.
Why do employees want the flexibility to be mobile? Awareness of work/life balance, flexibility, and customer responsiveness are factors. Being accessible on the fly doesn’t just apply to corporates anymore; for example with the right tools a plumber can download and issue a customer invoice or quote instantly from their mobile broadband device.
Does mobility improve productivity? A recent Forrester Report found that anytime, anywhere internet connectivity can provide mobile workers with 11 additional hours of productivity per week. You are also no longer measuring an employee’s output by the hours they spend at work, but with actual results, presenting a shift from the traditional approach.
What part does technology have to play in achieving a truly mobile workforce? It’s critical; employees are now no longer tied to their office due to the wide availability of technologies such as business mobile broadband and smartphones and tablets. Instant access to information and the increasing availability of business-specific apps is changing how small businesses operate.
Optus offers a wide range of business grade tablets, USB modems and 3G WiFi Modem devices. Visit www.optusbusiness.com.au/mobilebroadband for more information.
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.
Kathy Wilson, general manager Business Solutions, Ricoh Australia
What does a mobile workforce mean to you? Trends in technology mean that the way we work and live is now in a state of rapid evolution and mobility is part of this. Accessibility is increasing – not just to information, but also to new markets and audiences – which brings with it new opportunities to reach new customers.
Does mobility improve productivity? Being mobile has greatly increased the value of ‘time’. The mobile workforce take their free time and use it to be as productive as possible – whether it’s writing reports on airplanes, holding teleconference calls from home or reviewing their business’ cashflow while sitting at a café. This also enables more flexible entry to the workforce that suits people at different stages of their lives or lifestyle choices such as stay at home parenting or living outside of major cities.
Why is a mobile workforce a good thing for employers and what are the challenges? The challenge for business operators – whether they run an office, a shop or an online business – is to make the most of the time and technology to attract and retain customers. Even though it’s easy to share information electronically, there are still many times when you need something printed, and printing has been one area that lacks the mobility of the technology we now use.
With Ricoh HotSpot you can take the information that is created and shared on the run, such as emails, reports, spreadsheets or anything else, and print it easily and securely without the need to install software, drivers or even an app. You just need access to the internet and a Ricoh HotSpot-enabled printer. This product was developed for those who need to access the mobile workforce, which could mean in hotels.
Richard Bailey, VP, imaging and printing, HP
Do you think the Australian workforce is becoming increasingly mobile? Yes absolutely. Australia has the highest mobile penetration of any country in the world after Singapore and this trend is growing. For HP, a mobile workforce means we need to be creating technologies that allow people to print wherever they can work. Our industry leading ePrint technology is ideal for these scenarios, allowing mobile workers to print wirelessly to any HP ePrinter at home or in their office just by sending an email. Workers could be on their way to a meeting in the office and have their document waiting on the printer once they arrive. It’s all about connected convenience.
Why do employees want the flexibility to be mobile and doe it really improve productivity? For many employees it’s about efficiency. Being able to work remotely from home or while travelling for business has been a huge benefit from mobile technology. Before there was a significant amount of time wasted on flights or in transit, when those times are actually ideal for being productive – that is, when you’re away from distractions that working in an office can sometimes pose. Imagine if ePrinters were available in business lounges at airports – and watch this space – workers would be able to walk in, email any document to the printer and then have it ready instantly, without the need to turn on a PC or install drivers all from their mobile device.
Why is a mobile workforce a good thing for employers? If we’re seeing an increase in productivity from mobility in the workforce, then this is certainly a good thing for employers. Technology has most definitely been an enabler of this, especially if we think back to before we even had mobile phones. Any time in transit outside of the office, was time wasted as far as productivity is concerned. More and more we’re moving towards being a truly mobile workforce and at HP we’re focusing our efforts on creating technologies that further enable and enhance this experience.
The new HP Officejet Pro 8600 Enterprise Printer comes with ePrint and ePrint Wireless Direct Printing, which allows workers to easily and wirelessly print from mobile devices without needing to install printer drivers. This enables mobile professionals the flexibility to print documents and more while travelling between offices for business.
