In Joe Versus the Volcano, Tom Hanks plays Joe, a clerical worker whose job stinks. Everyone at the company arrives at the same time, everyone dresses alike, and everything is a dingy, dreary grey.
In 1990, Joe’s job symbolized the 9-to-5 job modern workers have come to loathe—the job where you have no flexibility to be yourself, to enjoy balance, or to get away from your station once in a while.
In those days, a mobile worker was a salesperson or a wandering poet. Today, there are countless kinds of work that can be done remotely. From the employee who likes to occasionally work from a coffee shop to full-time digital nomads, companies are under pressure to support this new way of working.
Going Mobile and the Impact on Your Business
The impact of mobility on the workplace is circular. Expectations of flexibility lead to the implementation of new technologies, and new technologies lead to expectations of increased flexibility in the workplace. Most workers—including entry-level employees to high-level executives—want flexibility. Three-quarters of employees say flexibility is their most important benefit.
Wired reported manufacturing and market figures that sound the death knell of the PC. And why would you want to be tethered to a desktop when you can work from your mobile device? Then you can work from anywhere at any hour you want. You can have a life and pull your work from your pocket when you need to. Like Joe, you can walk away from your desktop at the office and never look back.
Workers expect CYOD (choose your own device) policies, remote working options, and flexible hours. All of those expectations mean companies need to provide the means to video conference, share files, and collaborate on projects from mobile devices.
