IT Brief Australia - Technology news for CIOs & IT decision-makers
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Jabra: Work from anywhere with your mobile office
Wed, 25th Oct 2017
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Advances in technology are providing modern workers with greater opportunities to perform their jobs from any location.

This is true of both the business travellers, who often need to bring the office with them for conference calls and meetings on the go, but also of organisations moving towards more flexible work practices.

This “Work from Anywhere” trend is becoming increasingly popular, and while some businesses have experienced employee opposition, there are many that have seen great uptake of this new way of working.

Given the increasing number of available workspace options - home, kitchen, conference centre, airport lounge - it is no surprise that Work from Anywhere and increased office mobility is becoming such an effective method of conducting work.

The mobile workforce

Mobility is changing the business environment in a big way, giving employees more reason than ever to Work from Anywhere.

With increasing digitisation and advances in technology, coupled with huge growth in the number of work-style options available, the ability to work remotely and not be locked-in at a desk can enhance employee satisfaction, productivity, flexibility, and even lower operational costs.

Being able to conduct business from a flexible and agile environment means employees can work faster and collaborate more efficiently.

This is in turn allows organisations to be more nimble and agile, as increased mobility leads to less of a need for those collaborating to coordinate their schedules or physically meet.

Of course, to get the most out of the changing mobile office, organisations must ensure they have the technological infrastructures in place to support this new, flexible way of working.

The Work from Anywhere toolbox

First and foremost, it's paramount that an effective technological foundation is established and maintained, to ensure that employees can perform from anywhere.

The latest cloud-based and mobile software technologies should be made available to employees to facilitate the smooth sharing of information.

Having the technical infrastructure in place to ensure clear connectivity, with audio and video capabilities, makes mobile working smooth sailing for any organisation.

Technologies with unified communication system integrations can simplify this practice even further.

The good news is, that with advances in technology, mobile workers or those that travel for work can access their office wherever they go. Being able to transport an entire office with just a laptop, speakerphone, and/ or headset can be a lifesaver for the mobile worker.

With an increasing number of options available for mobile workers, a solution can be found to suit everyone. It's clear that the benefits of this increased mobility far outweigh the costs.

Better employee satisfaction and productivity can lower the financial costs involved in managing an organisation.

Companies are also becoming more agile and productive by allowing employees to work in the environment most conducive to their work style,

The pocket office

Enhanced mobility is not without its detractors.

Though it can be said that Work from Anywhere blurs the lines between personal and professional time, it increasingly offers more flexibility and choice in comparison to the confines of a 9-to-5 office.

Mobile workers may spend more time working than their desk-bound counterparts, but this is largely dependent on the type of work and the company's expectations.

With this in mind, it is certainly possible to make such fluidity work to your advantage.

Employees can gain much needed flexibility in their jobs in working remotely, through both their more accommodating working hours and location.

This can help them establish a more robust work-life balance. Ultimately, employees that Work from Anywhere can experience greater empowerment and trust from their employer, leading to stronger engagement and dedication to their roles.

It's part and parcel that any compartmentalising may take some practice.

By encouraging a more dynamic, mobile workforce, companies are able to reap the rewards of increased employee satisfaction and productivity. Not only this, but encouraging a majority Work from Anywhere workforce can significantly reduce infrastructure and overhead costs.

It is clear that in order to assist the changing mobile workforce, today's businessperson must be equipped with the right technology and business support structures to work to the best of their ability, no matter where they are.