Newly-released Vodafone report helps unlock employee productivity
Smartphones are radically transforming the productivity of modern-day employees by emerging as the digital ecosystems through which they work, network and stay connected all day.
With Brexit uncertainty surrounding the UK businesses, British employers are increasingly focussed on retaining valuable resources and ensuring their work-life balance through flexible working practices.
In such a scenario, the trend of bring your own device (BYOD) is becoming the new normal with employees checking their emails on their phones and bringing in their personal laptop to work from different locations throughout the day. Globally as well, the BYOD market is predicted to reach around US $32bn by 2023.
Research also shows that the number of employee-owned smartphones and tablets used in the enterprise is expected to top 1bn devices by next year.
Vodafone surveyed around 3,000 British workers for their new report Unlocking Productivity: Working in the UK to find out employees’ attitudes about their productivity and what stands in their way of doing more effectively. About 47 per cent of them said they were in favour of a ‘roaming office’ where their ideal employer would have a flexible working policy.
Tony Bailey, Head of Regional Business at Vodafone UK commented: “Across the UK people are looking for support from their employers to help them be their best at work. While a third of employees believe they are ‘very productive’, there is a huge opportunity for employers to look at what changes they can make to unlock the potential of the significant proportion of the workforce who don’t think they are working as well as they could be.”
“Examining how and where people need and want to work is the first step to understanding where the introduction of smarter processes and technologies can bring enhancements. Each employee, job, organisation and customer will have different expectations and requirements, meaning there is no one size fits all when it comes to working practices and flexibility. However, this latest research shows that both technology and teamwork are seen as important by employees of all ages when it comes to how they view their own productivity. The communication technologies that are being used by more and more businesses are one way to boost collaboration amongst employees, in and out of the office. This in turn will ultimately create a more engaged, productive, responsive workforce,” Bailey added.
To ensure that London continues to stay the home of largest number of SMEs (CEBR 2016), employers must provide employees with reliable connectivity and business applications that allow them to take their office wherever they go. And to avoid any unforeseen accidents on the way, British employees must insure their employee’s smartphones and iPads as well. A recent survey has also revealed how millions of British households are underinsuring their gadgets. One in four families has no cover at all beyond their doorstep.
Employers can opt for Vodafone’s business plan where the employee gets 10GB extra on his iPhone 8 (12GB, 20GB or 60GB) along with a damage insurance and a four-hour phone replacement facility (subject to conditions).
With employee productivity at the heart of businesses, it seems that digital technology and smartphones hold the key of improving employee-organization relationship and boosting productivity.
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