Although some small- and medium-sized businesses are ahead of the pack when it comes to using mobile tools, most still have some catching up to do.
Virtual solutions provider Citrix has just published the results of a study on the use of mobile tools, which showed that a quarter of companies allow their employees to use their personal smart phones and tablet computers for work. Most of them have noted significant increases in productivity of up to 36%, since employees can now work anywhere, anytime.
Almost two thirds of employers have not implemented any form of control, however, and 45% of IT managers do not know which type of devices are being used, which leads to security and data protection issues. This is a concern for 57% of IT managers polled by Citrix, who remain hesitant about encouraging such practices.
They could be forced to give way, though, because work methods are changing as technologies change, and companies are facing increasing pressure from workers for greater flexibility. 35% of the 1,100 people polled in Australia, France, Germany, the UK and the US said they were getting more pressure about this issue than five years ago.