Enterprise Guide to the Strategic Mobile Knowledge Worker

True or false: All mobile workers require the same tools and work in the same manner to get their jobs done effectively when they are away from their primary office?

That should be a pretty easy question. Most people will likely answer "false." So why do many businesses treat all mobile workers the same? The typical enterprise mobility strategy for many businesses is a quick checklist for workers. Have a certain job function and title and you qualify for a laptop or smart phone. Or in a company without a clear mobility policy, let employees decide for themselves what they want then expense the costs back to the company with no real control for IT or management.

Today's workforce is diverse and evolving. The way we work is rapidly changing thanks to consumer technology, mobile solutions and ubiquitous connectivity. But many businesses still have old-fashioned policies and one-size-fits-all tools for mobile workers. As Exhibit 1 illustrates, some workers are more mobile than others and of these workers, some are more comfortable with technology while others feel overwhelmed. As a result, many mobile workers end up being less productive than they should be given the tools available to them. Other workers aren't even being provided mobility benefits because companies don't realize the potential productivity gains for some workers that may not be considered really "mobile."

This Yankee Group Report tackles the complex question of what are the right tools for the various segments of mobile workers. Through an in-depth segmentation analysis of mobile knowledge workers, the largest single segment of mobile workers today, Yankee Group answers the questions:

• What are the main issues and needs of mobile knowledge workers today?

• How productive are different segments of mobile workers at different locations?

• What are the basic tools that should be provided to support mobile knowledge workers? And how can productivity of these segments be further increased through more advanced toolkits?

• How can a business balance the goals of IT with the requirements of an increasingly mobile workforce?

In the end, every company will have their own mix of "Holster Nomads," "Tech Ninjas," "Upwardly Mobiles" and "Desk Jockeys" that make up their mobile workforce. This Report provides a framework for identifying mobile knowledge worker segments, and how to equip them with the appropriate mobile toolkits to maximize productivity and create a true Anywhere EnterpriseTM.

Source: Yankee Group: Enterprise Guide to the Strategic Mobile Knowledge Worker https://www.yankeegroup.com/ResearchDocument.do?docId=17136&fileType=pdf