Wi-Fi has revolutionised our every-day lives and over the last ten years it has also impacted the workplace; employees can remain connected to the internet all day, without being tied down to a hardware device such as a computer that can’t be moved from a desk.
Alongside a reliable Wi-Fi network, smart devices have allowed employees to become more independent in their working practices, less dictated by timescales and more susceptible to rapid changes.
Together with KBR, business Wi-Fi providers, we explore how mobile internet connectivity has impacted the workplace and establish just how Wi-Fi has made the workplace more efficient and productive.
Shifting priorities within the workplace
There is an argument that Wi-Fi is a distraction within the workplace and it is causing many employees concern, as they are unsure as to whether social media is distracting workers when they are supposed to be working. The answer to this question isn’t as straight-forward as corporations would like it to be. The answer is that although employees are more connected, they will spend more time during the day checking their own personal devices for updates.
However, this works both ways. Any employer wants employees that are going to be around the business for a large majority of the working day and week; when something goes wrong in an employee’s personal life, they may be able to deal with the situation from the office – meaning that work can still be done and a worker doesn’t have to leave the office to deal with a situation.
The relationship between Wi-Fi and the BYOD culture
The BYOD culture — or bring your own device —is a working practice that allows employees to bring their own smart device and connect it to a Wi-Fi server in order for them to complete their every-day tasks.
When used correctly, there are many instances when the BYOD culture can help to boost productivity within the workplace. As a result of always being connected to the internet, employees can attend to tasks in ways they couldn’t before. For example, workers can reply to emails on their way to a meeting or outside of the office, and can also work on tasks during dead-time in the day; i.e. when they are not stationed at a computer.
Conducted by the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group, their research found that ‘the average BYOD user across countries saves 37 minutes per week thanks to using their own device’. In addition to this, users in the United States saved a total of 81 minutes per week, whilst those in Germany saved four minutes per week. Although some countries are saving more time and being more productive than others, what this suggests is that globally, Wi-Fi networks combined with a BYOD culture is leading to an accrued saving of time, as opposed to wasted time inside and outside of the working day.
Outside of the working day, it is estimated that a BYOD employee is sending an extra 20 emails, and as a result working an extra two hours every day – which is a helpful statistic for any employer who is still sceptical when it comes to BYOD practices. This is likely to be because employees are more comfortable and more aware of how to use their own devices.
It is, however, clear that this type of working culture does come with additional costs; businesses have to spend more money than ever before on security measures that make sure businesses and employees are protected from malicious hacks into Wi-Fi servers. Anti-malware, encryption methods and passcodes are all also being used to help keep information secure.
Wi-Fi around the globe
Disengaged employees are a problem within any business, as they account for a cost of $3,400 for every $10,000 USD worth of salary in the United States. That means for every starting salary of £16,376 in the UK, this can cost an employer £5,569 worth of disengagement. As research suggests, what makes employees more engaged is a mobile device and a reliable Wi-Fi connection.
A study conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, surveying 1,865 employees, found that those who were connected to the internet on a mobile device contributed a 16% boost in productivity for that business, and a 18% boost in the actual creativity of employees when at work.
In a typical working week, an employee who contributes a boost to productivity by 16% can account for an accrued total of 6.4 hours per week, with this translating to 41 working days in a year overall. If more employees than just one become motivated by mobile technologies, then the savings in productivity efficiencies can become abundant.
As well as productivity, it was established that job satisfaction increased by 23%, while loyalty to the company increased by 21%. This is probably down to the fact that employees can feel empowered when using their own smart-device. Therefore, workers are made to feel that they are trusted to work on their own tasks independently throughout the day.
What is becoming evident is that businesses who adopt a BYOD culture – when utilised with a Wi-Fi server – are more than likely going to be successful in the longer term. Mobile devices are increasing the independence of people across the globe too, so it is no surprise that this trend has integrated itself into the workplace. If employers want to get the most out of employees, then trusting them with mobile devices connected to a safe Wi-Fi network is arguably the best option to choose.
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