Photo: @tonyrecena via Twenty20
A survey from WorkJam, a digital workplace management firm, found that when given a choice, 66 percent of hourly retail employees would use their personal mobile devices to access information about scheduling changes and/or corporate training materials.
Twenty-six percent of the retail workers surveyed indicated they would not want to use their smartphones and eight percent had no preference.
The survey of over 1,000 U.S.-based hourly employees across service industries found a similar openness to using personal mobile devices across other sectors. These include hospitality (75 percent), logistics (65 percent), healthcare (66 percent) and banking (56 percent).
The study indicated Americans spend “up to five hours” a day on their smartphones. Although research now puts average smartphone usage between three to four hours daily, some research shows teens can spend much more time on their devices playing games, watching videos and connecting with their peers across diverse social media platforms.
WorkJam said consolidating communications around schedules, company announcements, training and employee feedback on a single mobile platform can support a more engaged and productive workforce. Of the survey respondents, 69 percent of those who would like to use their personal mobile device for work indicated they believe that with the right application they would have an easier time picking up shifts that accommodate their schedules, allowing them to increase their income.
Other studies have pointed to cost benefits for companies that allow BYOD as well as the employee goodwill and productivity gains by enabling employees to work remotely via their own devices. Risks include potential productivity challenges as employees could more easily text friends or play games on company time. The louder concerns are voiced around ensuring the security of company data.