Roughly 3.9 million Americans are working from home, adding to an ever-increasing number of people who work remotely. The appeal of working from home is made possible by the increase of mobile technology, allowing workers to communicate more quickly and efficiently – no matter where they’re located. While this may initially seem like bad news for employers, it’s actually leading to increased productivity and higher rates of employee happiness. And for some ambitious entrepreneurs, they’re making a living completely virtually. But whether the job is done from the couch or the office, mobile tech is expanding the way Americans do business.
The Good News for Employers
More “old-school” employers are understandably reluctant to accept the benefits of mobile technology in the office, simply because it allows employees to leave their immediate sphere of influence. However, mobile tech has changed working for the better. By giving an employees autonomy over how and when they complete their work, they’re more likely to take ownership and ensure a higher quality of content. Progressive companies are even shopping for mobile devices for all employees, that way they know where to reach them, and can establish a strong relationship with employees, even if they aren’t physically in the office.
Equally Good News for Employees
Long-gone are the days of staring at the clock and waiting for the day to end. With mobile technology like smartphones and tablets, people can now leave the office at will, run personal errands, and finish their work when they have the time. This gives employees more freedom to live a life on their own schedule. The downside to this is, like all technology, it creates an expectation that you are always on the clock, and employers have a way of contact, 24/7. However, the simple solution to this issue is to turn off the phone, tablet, or laptop when you need some privacy.
Mobile technology is just the beginning of a revolution to the way Americans work. With more businesses joining the virtual world, opportunities to work remotely will become widely available. It’s important to remember that this way of working is still in its infancy, and more guidelines and expectations to when and where people work need to be developed. So while commuting to an office every day still serves its purpose, new and improved ways of work are on the horizon thanks to the advent of mobile technology