Goocal: Singaporeans love using mobile technology for work

Singaporeans love using mobile technology for work

28/04/2016 Thu 12:25 in All markets by Jerene Ang

Many organization in Singapore are using mobile technology while working… Is this giving advantages or disadvantages to the organization ? Lets read…

Adopting mobile technology and flexworking in your organisation will not only satisfy your staff’s needs for more work-life balance, it can also benefit the business.

According to a global study by The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) sponsored by Aruba, firms rated as pioneers in mobile technology support by their employees saw increases in productivity (16%), creativity (18%), satisfaction (23%), and loyalty (21%), compared to their counterparts that were poorly rated at supporting mobile tech.

The survey also found that such technology has, in fact, made quite a positive impression among staff worldwide today.

It highlighted 42% of firms are using digital collaboration tools that work on mobile to foster collaboration between employees.

These collaboration tools include mobile messaging apps such as Whatsapp which 66% of Singaporeans use for work – the highest in the world.

The increases in productivity and satisfaction were found to be a result of mobile tech being an enabler for employees to work anytime and anywhere with 49% of the 1,865 employees surveyed saying it has greatest impact on their productivity.

Another 38% identified this as having the largest impact on their satisfaction with their employer.

Another reason for an increase in productivity is attributed to the quick access to information mobile technology provides with 42% of staff reporting that this factor has the greatest impact on their productivity levels.

However, only 54% of companies are currently providing access to the company network from any mobile device to support working anywhere in the office or remotely.

Additionally, the survey found that 42% of firms are using digital collaboration tools that work on mobile to foster collaboration between employees. These collaboration tools include mobile messaging apps such as Whatsapp which 31% of organisations globally and 66% of those in Singapore use for work.

3 ways HR can optimise the mobile workforce

Workshifting, flexworking, smart working – whatever it is called, working 9-5 at a desk in an office is no longer the norm.

So how can HR teams ensure their organisation is set up for success in this new way of working? Citrix’s new whitepaper on getting mobile working right provides three handy tips.

1. Designing workspaces with mobile working in mind

HR can give both office space planners and mobile workers advice on setting up their workspaces.

For example, when Citrix redesigned its office in Raleigh, HR gave the design team employee feedback to make sure the new space took the needs of mobile workers into account.

As a result, the new office features: WiFi throughout the building; flexible workspaces that allow for both privacy and teamwork; and inspiring meeting spaces like a rooftop garden, among others.

For remote workers, the Citrix HR and facilities teams provided guidance on how to set up their

own workspaces, which includes: choosing the right chair to avoid back strain; adjusting the screen to prevent eye strain; and using footrests, wrist rests and laptop stands to stay comfortable.

2. Finding innovative ways to keep mobile workers engaged

Engaging remote employees doesn’t stop at quality and productivity. It also helps to determine how happy employees are, and how loyal to the company.

Here are Citrix’s 5 ideas for keeping mobile workers engaged:

· Invite mobile workers along to all-hands team meetings on site.

· Encourage regular visits to the office, whether they’re weekly, monthly or quarterly.

· Introduce a buddy system where mobile workers are paired with non-mobile colleagues.

· Develop a mobile app for your company that feeds employees useful information as it comes up.

· Create a collaboration site where team members can share work, documents and ideas.

3. Putting the right technology in place

While HR works to make sure mobile workers get the support they need, managers should work

with the IT team to make sure they have the technology they need.

In addition to making the mobile devices available to workers, the IT team needs to implement the infrastructure to support high-performance, secure and intuitive mobile workstyles.

The implementation for this includes not just mobile devices and email, but also tools such as virtualised desktops, file sharing, and business productivity apps.

Why thinking ‘mobile’ is crucial for managing talent

As businesses pave the way for a more tech-reliant and highly connected workforce, providing employees with mobile access to company information, data, and processes has become more crucial than ever.

It’s not difficult to imagine why many HR divisions in organisations worldwide have already begun doing so. Being able to access information through their mobiles enables employees to work from anywhere and helps in boosting productivity – something which employees really want and are grateful for.

In fact, according to a report by Aruba Network, 75% of employees in Singapore stated they would choose more flexibility in working via mobiles over receiving a 5% cash bonus in a rigid workplace.

Also, Singapore has recently been named the number one smartphone adopter in the world byGoogle.

But the question which remains is this – with there being a clear demand and multiple benefits for businesses to go ‘mobile’, why are companies still not making their processes more mobile-friendly?

For instance, nearly half (46%) of HR professionals worldwide still don’t offer candidates the option of accessing their applicant tracking system (ATS) via a mobile device.

This raises serious concern, considering that when job-seekers can’t apply via a mobile device, 65% said they rarely return to their desktop to finish the application.

Admittedly, technical or resource constraints has appeared as a commonly cited reason for companies’ limited mobile accessibility.

But surely increased spending on HR technology is not the only solution to making businesses more mobile? Instead, companies can change their HR structure in an effort to improve both efficiency and quality of existing technology in their companies, which indicates a growing drive to get more value for the business from a more strategic function.

This includes managing employees’ mobile security and privacy – 84% employees have recently admitted they still lack trust in their employer’s ability to manage their mobile security and privacy.

Guiding employees on how to maintain a work-life balance despite the temptation to work through personal time is also a policy which companies could adopt to ensure a better usage of mobile accessibility.

Clearly, this transformation to a ‘mobile’ business needs to be realised, and translated into action soon.

This increase in the ability to collaborate was rated by 38% of respondents as the most important factor affecting creativity while another third of respondents said it has the greatest impact on their loyalty.

“The opportunity and the challenge here is to marry employee demands for remote working with team collaboration,” Chris Kozup, vice president of marketing at Aruba said.

“The rise in mobile collaboration tools presents new ways for businesses to keep teams together and working effectively, even if they are physically apart. It’s clear that companies who are able to do this are in a better place to attract and retain the best employees.”

With collaborative work environments being on the rise, the report also found that 46% of companies now offer employees a hot-desking environment with mobile connectivity at any location. The UK offers the highest level of hot-desking (54%) followed by Australia and Germany (both 53%).

This hot-desking environment was cited by 32% of staff, to be the biggest contributing factor to their creativity while a further 29% declare that workplace flexibility makes the biggest difference to their loyalty.