It has been some time since mobile technology entered the workplace. This technology has already won over other areas of a person’s life, so it was a logical conclusion that these devices could help boost the productivity of employees and, in turn, improve the overall efficiency of a company.
The past several years have shown that people were not wrong in saying this. Mobile technology really helps get a lot more done and much more efficiently. The fact that the workforce will continue to grow with people who grew up with mobile technology and are quite savvy with all its nuances, means that productivity will continue to grow substantially in the coming years.
The main benefit of using mobile technology is that it provides network access when an employee is not at a company facility. Whether they are working from home or leveraging the cellular capabilities of a device when a Wi-Fi connection is not available, mobile technology allows instant access to clients, employees, data, and applications. This is beneficial to the employee and the company when dealing with travel during the regular work day or handling tasks outside of normal work hours. A related benefit is the ability for companies to hire remote workers who do not need to be located at a company facility.
While the benefits of mobile technology are plentiful, employees and companies should still consider the following potential issues:
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Time management is still important
Mobile technology can boost the productivity of employees to a great extent, but if proper care is not taken it can also become a hampering factor. Employees that use mobile devices still need to properly define priorities on a daily basis. Mobile technology makes it easy to avoid difficult or “less enjoyable” tasks. The same time management skills that successful people learned early in their careers still apply in the modern workplace. Don’t let the convenience that mobile technology provides distract you from the discipline that proper time management provides.
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Establish boundaries
“Too much of a good thing” still applies in today’s workplace. No one questions the value of hard work, but limits have to be maintained. Mobile technology easily allows your work life to overtake your family or personal time. Study after study shows that workers are more productive when they remain disciplined about maintaining their time away from work. We all need to recharge at times.
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Know what work should not be done on mobile devices
While mobile devices can help get a lot done without any problem, some tasks are best suited to computers and laptops. Identifying tasks that fall in either category is important to ensure that the quality of work output is not compromised by the simplicity of doing it. Also, make sure you don’t burden your employees with mobile tools and applications they are not required to use.
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Give importance to face to face communications
Emails have become the primary way of communication within a company. Mobile technology makes it even easier to extend the use of emails. While being productive is important, sometimes it is best to put your device down and talk live with co-workers, clients, and vendors. Whether it is developing business relationships or making sure an important message is communicated properly, sometimes an old fashioned face-to-face meeting is the best approach.
Conclusion
The modern workplace is one where mobile technology is at the heart of the system. The benefits of having mobile technology in the workplace make it quite obvious that mobile technology is good for you. Moreover, the modern workforce is one that is used to getting a lot of stuff done on mobile devices. Therefore, you should implement this technology in your company sooner, rather than later, to ensure that you get the best out of your employees. At the same time, understand that over-use of these technologies hinders the achievement of your corporate goals. Determining the proper use of mobile devices is key.
