Switching to a Mobile Workforce? Consider These 3 Things

If being tied to their desks in the workplace is not working well for some of your employees, it may be time to consider other options. A mobile workforce can help create a work environment that is more efficient, happier, and productive. Mobile work can also improve the bottom line of your business.

There has been steady growth in mobile working, and it affords a great amount of flexibility that is meeting the needs and expectations of employees and executives across the world. It is no surprise that mobile working is becoming a hot trend in the modern workplace. 

Do you currently all have the information you need to consider a moble workforce in your workplace? There are some major questions that will need to be addressed if you are considering mobile working.

Mobile Impact on Workplace

The easy part of this entire process is actually deciding to join the mobile workforce, but the major thing is considering how mobile working will actually work in your favor. Understanding where the team will work and how they will work is critical in establishing a mobile working system that can be successful. Where does your workplace currently find itself when it comes to collaboration tools? 

Workplace Resources

In order for a workplace to fully embrace the thought of remote working, there will need to be consideration of the hardware, software, and other resources that will be required. There are some key tools that you will need to think about while you are considering implementing remote working, including the following:

• Unified Communication (a combination of conferencing, email, phone, etc.)
• Portable drivers that are secure
• Remote Printing
• SaaS (business applications available on any mobile device)
• Mobile devices
• Fast mobile bandwidth connection
• VPN

Mobile Job Completion

Not every work title will be created the same. Some jobs will allow employees to use a laptop or mobile devices in any location and still complete work tasks as efficiently as they would in the office. However, there are other jobs that will require a different approach due to the need to be more hands-on. Before transitioning an employee to mobile working, the following questions should be answered:

• Will your employees have access to virtual collaboration tools such as shared workspaces and conferencing?
• Is the majority of the team already working in other locations?
• Will mobile working be more convenient due to the odd schedule and on-call working hours?
• Are the employees you plan to transition frequent travelers? Are they generally spending time in other locations rather than in the office?
• Does the employee have a position that allows them to work solo on a variety of assignments?
• Does the employee have a personality and attitude that will be conducive to remote working? 

Working remotely will require a variety of skills, especially if you want communication and collaboration to be efficient and seamless as if the employees were actually physically in the workplace. Web conferencing tools will come with a wide range of features such as chat, web sharing, social media, etc. that will allow future remote employees to develop those skills. 

Before making the transition to mobile working, your employees should be encouraged to take the time to master the tools that you can offer. A mobile workforce will require a culture of communication and collaboration, and this culture can eventually lead to a workforce that is strong, productive, and efficient.