Mobile Worker Downtime Ends as Tablets, Smartphones Rise

by officePROhub.com on 10/10/2011 - 05:01 pm

Tags: Cloud Computing, Phones, Virtual Office

Downtime is essentially a thing of the past, thanks to the rise of mobile technologies. And business centers can play a role in helping mobile workers remain more productive while they are out of the office.

A quick review of the statistics demonstrates the opportunity. According to a recent iPass Mobile Workforce report, 91 percent of mobile workers use their personal downtime to check their smartphones. And nearly 30 percent of mobile workers check their smartphone every six to 12 minutes during downtime. (Yes, every six to 12 minutes.)

The report also found that 61 percent of mobile workers sleep with their smartphone—43 percent within arm’s reach. This intimate relationship with the smartphone has led to 38 percent of mobile workers waking up to check their smartphone during the night and 35 percent checking e-mail first thing in the morning—even before getting dressed or eating breakfast.

“Mobile employees are taking advantage of being connected 24/7 to help them be more productive at home and work—working an average of 240 hours more a year,” says Steven Wastie, senior vice president marketing and product management at iPass. “While for some this is not without relationship costs, the majority of mobile workers are highly responsive, and ready to be engaged outside of traditional office hours. Mobile technology helps their companies stay competitive in a fast-paced and challenging business environment.”

Here are some additional insights from the mobile worker survey:

• 94 percent of mobile workers have a smartphone.
• 41 percent of mobile workers have a tablet
• 34 percent of mobile workers intend to purchase a tablet in the next six months
• 87 percent of mobile workers that own tablets use their tablets for at least some work
• 11 percent of mobile workers wake up every night to check e-mail

Here’s the deal: Mobile workers need to do more than check e-mail. They also need a quiet place to review, print and fax documents. They need to hold meetings and participate in video conferences. And, at times, they need to shut themselves away in a quiet office that’s equipped with modern technology.

Business centers have an opportunity to develop products, services—and marketing messages—for mobile workers actively looking for ways to be more productive with the mobile devices in their pockets and purses.

What could your business center to do cater to this growing market?