According to a new report from Forrester, 62% of information workers in North America and Europe work remotely. The report says that many clients are approaching the firm for insight on creating best practices for remote, mobile workplaces assuming these changes are part of the remote future when in reality the change is already well underway.
Previously, we looked at some of Forrester’s research indicating that as much as 18% of the workforce used their personal smartphones for work, whether they were allowed to or not. That research showed only 29% of workers polled did work outside the office.
Much like Forrester’s report, the firm identifies the most common applications accessed by remote workers. E-mail and calendar apps were the most important for all types of mobile workers. Instant messaging came in a distant third. Audio and Web conferencing tools, team workspaces and social networking sites were popular with workers who spend a substantial amount of time outside of the office, such as managers and consultants.
Some of Forrester’s recommendations for building a strategy for a remote, connected workplace include:
- Adopting a mobile-first mindset when planning new content and collaboration tools.
- Streamline devices employees use by letting them use their personal devices for work.
- Consider how the mobile workforce affects facilities and travel budgets.
- Create mobile usecases based on workers’ responsibilities.
- Tap power users for pilot programs.
Photo by Richard
