Aruba Networks: #GenMobile Employees Reshaping the Workplace

Aruba Networks: #GenMobile Employees Reshaping the Workplace

by Jeffrey Burt

Newer Workers Are Decidedly Mobile

Sixty-two percent said they own three or more connected devices, and are 15 times more likely to give up coffee and seven times more likely to ditch their televisions than say good-bye to their smartphones.

Mobility Extends Across Working, Personal Lives

The #GenMobile workers are more likely than other groups to use mobile apps such as Facebook (17 percent) and Twitter (14 percent), but they also are 20 percent more likely to read and respond to work emails on their mobile devices.

Germans Among the Most Mobile

Eighty-three percent of German respondents said they use their smartphones or tablets to check their emails. Meanwhile, 62 percent of those in France say mobile devices make it easier to manage their personal and professional lives.

That Mobile Lifestyle Is Only Growing

The average consumer spends 21 hours every week using their mobile devices for chores like banking or for watching movies, and 37 percent of survey respondents said they expect that the hours spent working remotely will climb in the next 12 months.

Mobility Isn’t Just for Smartphones Anymore

About 45 percent said they want their cars connected, while 20 percent want their clothes or shoes to be connected in the next five years, giving a boost to the range of vendors pursuing the nascent wearable computing device market.

There’s Still a Need to Disconnect

About 63 percent of respondents said they still value the time they can put down their mobile devices and walk away.

The More WiFi, the Better

When they are connected, the majority of newer workers—almost 57 percent—would rather leverage WiFi networks than other connections, such as 4G, 3G and wired.

Mobility, Flexibility Are Also Applied to the Workday

Fifty-seven percent of survey respondents said they feel most productive working from home, while 45 percent say they are most efficient before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m.

Flexible Working Lives Key in U.S., U.K.

In the United States, 79 percent of respondents say they feel most efficient while working at home, while those in the United Kingdom weighed in at 72 percent.

Workday Flexibility, Mobility: Worth More Than Money

More than half—53 percent—would rather be able to work from home two to three times a week than make 10 percent more in pay. About 32 percent would rather have their employer pay for the smartphones that they choose than receive a 5 percent salary hike or a company-paid lunch.

BYOD Is Alive and Well Among the #GenMobile

Thirty-eight percent of survey respondents said they’d choose bringing their own devices to work over having an office with a window.