In today’s modern world, workforce mobility has become quite essential for companies that strive to stay competitive. Workforce mobility has become integral to organizational success, and businesses are becoming more aware of the benefits, such as better work-life balance, improved productivity, business continuity, cost efficiency, and global talent access.
What is workforce mobility?
Fueled by advancements in technology and changing employee expectations, workforce mobility refers to the ability of a company’s workforce to move from one location to another. This allows the company’s workforce to have more flexibility in their work arrangements. At its core, workforce mobility is about empowering employees with the tools and flexibility to work from anywhere, at any time, with improved work-life balance, self-determination, and increased job satisfaction and productivity.
Workforce mobilization is a boon for organizations as it helps them attract and retain high-quality talent, boost employee satisfaction, improve productivity, foster seamless connectivity and collaboration, and save significant costs associated with office space and infrastructure.
The concept of workforce mobility extends beyond the traditional boundaries of office spaces, enabling employees to carry out their work from any location with a variety of mobile devices. This includes the ability for individuals to seamlessly transition between office environments, remote locations, and on-the-go scenarios without sacrificing their connectivity or productivity.
Reasons behind the rising demand for workforce mobility
Workplace flexibility: Whether it is a multinational IT organization or a telemarketing business, every business demands workplace flexibility, streamlined processes, employee satisfaction, and digital connectivity.
Collaboration: The demand for collaboration beyond organizational and geographical boundaries has forced organizations to embrace the concept of workforce mobility.
Technological advancement: Another important reason behind the rising demand for workforce mobility is technological advancements such as cloud computing, mobile devices, and collaboration software.
Proliferation of mobile devices: Along with such technological advancements, the proliferation of mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops has made it easier for employees to stay connected and work from anywhere.
Agility and adaptability: The rising demand for agility and adaptability to changing market conditions and emerging opportunities has forced organizations to embrace workforce mobility.
Cost management: Another compelling reason to adopt workforce mobility is cost management. Adopting remote work or flexible schedules reduces organizations’ expenses for maintaining office space and reduces employee commuting expenses.
What are the different types of workforce mobility?
There are several different types of workforce mobility that allow employees to work from different locations, use different devices, and access corporate resources remotely. Below are some common types of workforce mobility:
- Remote work: This is the most common and prevalent form of workforce mobility that allows employees to complete their work duties from a location other than the traditional office environment. This could be from home, co-working spaces, or any location with a reliable internet connection.
- Mobile work: This involves the use of portable technology such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops by employees working on the go. Employees, such as sales representatives or field technicians, are mobile workers who travel from one location to another. According to OMDIA’s report, mobile workers make up the majority of the workforce today, as only 33% of employees are confined to a single location, such as a central office or store.
- Bring your own device (BYOD): This type of workforce mobility enables employees to use their personal devices (such as laptops, smartphones, or tablets) for work-related tasks.
- Telecommuting: This type of workforce mobility refers to employees who don’t work from a single fixed location and occasionally come to the office for meetings or other activities.
- Hybrid work: This includes employees who split their time between the office and remote locations to get the flexibility of face-to-face collaboration and remote work. This type of workforce mobility combines elements of in-office work and remote work.
Overall, the combination of these different types of workforce mobility can be used to create flexible and adaptive work arrangements that meet the needs of both employees and organizations. Also, the choice of workforce mobility depends on organizational goals, nature of individual roles, and the industry requirements.
Why is workforce mobility important to organizations and employees?
With evolving working trends and technological advancements, the significance of workforce mobility has grown. Here are key reasons why workforce mobility is crucial to organizations as well as to employees.
Benefits of workforce mobility for organizations
Access to global talent: With workforce mobility, organizations can hire individuals with specialized skills from different geographical locations. This facilitates access to diversity and expertise that may not be available locally.
Increased productivity: Mobile work environments empower employees to tailor their work strategies according to their preferences. This contributes to increased individual and team productivity.
Reduced costs: Workforce mobility can help organizations reduce expenses related to office space, utilities, and other overhead.
Improved innovation and collaboration: Workforce mobility encourages innovation and collaboration by enabling diverse teams from different locations to exchange ideas and problem-solving methods.
Business continuity and resilience: Workforce mobility contributes to business continuity and resilience during disruptions such as natural disasters, public health crises, or unforeseen events.
Increased agility: Mobile work arrangements help organizations respond quickly to changing market conditions, opportunities and challenges, working trends, and employees’ expectations. Workforce mobility enables organizations to stay competitive in dynamic environments.
Benefits of workforce mobility for the employees
Greater flexibility: Workforce mobility offers employees greater flexibility over their work schedules, allowing them to achieve a better work-life and personal-life balance.
Improved work-life balance: With workforce mobility, employees can have a healthier work-life balance. With the flexibility to choose when and where they work, employees can better balance their work-life and professional lives.
Reduced stress: Mobile work arrangements improve mental well-being by reducing stress associated with commuting and other workplace-related issues.
Increased autonomy: Workforce mobility empowers employees to choose the work environment that best suits them, leading to increased job satisfaction, focus, and productivity.
Cost-savings: With workforce mobility, employees can reduce commuting expenses and other expenses, leading to financial savings.
Access to global opportunities: Workforce mobility provides employees the chance to move globally, work on international projects, and collaborate with diverse teams.
Workforce Mobility: A Necessity for Organizations and Employees
Workforce mobility is important for organizations and employees to promote flexibility, optimize workforce performance, attract and retain talent, foster innovation, improve employee engagement, and achieve better business results. Furthermore, workforce mobility accommodates a range of work styles that meet individual circumstances and the organization’s goals and objectives. In essence, workforce mobility plays a crucial role in the digital transformation of an enterprise.
However, successful implementation of workforce mobility requires the expertise of a managed mobility service (MMS) provider. Managed mobility services are IT services that provide the technology, tools, and assistance to help enterprises build and manage enterprise mobility. Are you looking for the right MMS provider that can provide end-to-end mobility management services? TSL Marketing, with expertise in MMS services and the right resources, can help you easily manage your migration and enable a secure and scalable experience on any device, anywhere. Contact us at adesai@mearastec.com to learn more about our managed mobility services (MMS).