How are mobile devices changing work habits?

MARCO A. VIEJO, mobility product manager, PPS HP España

Whether it's executives traveling from country to country, often taking the opportunity to work at airports, or the so-called "road warriors" who, after several hours behind the wheel to visit a client, make a rest stop, mobile devices have become essential tools. It is precisely they that are driving the new style of IT, which is defined by connectivity and which is ushering in the emergence of new designs that are set to replace old product categories.

We are in the era of the “anywhere”, “anytime”, “with any device”; a time when aspects such as efficiency, flexibility, productivity and access must come together strongly to help professionals create, consume or share wherever, whenever and however they want.

According to a recent HP study, European professionals carry an average of three devices on their travels: laptop (71%), smartphone (70%) and tablet (52%). However, 50% say it is difficult to carry all their devices everywhere.


In an effort to maximize productivity, traveling professionals try to work at every stage of their commute. Thus, on average, 17% of activity is done on the way to or from the airport; 17% at the airport; 20% on the plane; and 31% at their hotel. The challenge for many is to make sure their devices are fit to take advantage of those opportunities, with sufficient battery life and all the work-related apps they may need.


Another aspect the HP survey shows is that the office is no longer the place where many workers feel most productive. The reality is that three-quarters actually find the time during their commute to catch up and improve their productivity. Moreover, 56% say they have their best ideas while out of the office.


This should sound like heavenly music to many companies: people, who are often their greatest asset, eager to do more of what they used to do during their downtime. The challenge, however, is to equip workers with the right tools -whether tablets, smartphones, laptops, cloud-based applications, wireless printing capabilities… -and provide them with the support to get their work done while on the go.