WHITEPAPER: Mobile Working

FUTURE OF WORK

Mobile working.

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Contents

WHITEPAPER: Mobile Working

Executive summary.

Optus believes that a ‘perfect storm’ of trends and technologies is set to reshape the Australian workplace.

these include:> Generational change in the workforce and younger

people’s growing influence on the way people work> The proliferation of mobile applications in the

organisation> The emergence of stylish, easy-to-use, smart mobile

devices> The fast take-up of social media.We think that organisations that embrace these developments:> may become more flexible, productive and dynamic> could gain a greater ability to recruit and retain

talented staff, and> improve employee satisfaction and productivity.

You may choose not to tackle this trend – but your industry, your competitors, your business partners, your customers and your staff certainly may do so. If you continue to treat mobility as nothing more than a cost that your business has to bear, you may soon find yourself lagging behind your competition and fighting to keep customers and staff.

Mobile to reshape coporate Australia.

Mobility is transforming the Australian workplace. At many Australian organisations, mobility and its underlying drivers are well established and gaining momentum.

The workplace and the way we work will be dramatically different by 2015. In 2011, Optus Business engaged Stancombe Research & Planning to survey more than

01 executive summary Mobility to reshape corporate Australia

02 Mobility trends More powerful mobile devices Mobile network enhancements Rapid take-up of the Internet and social media The digitisation of work Generational change The globalisation of work The consumerisation of IT and BYO computing

05 the benefits of mobility

06 Deploying mobility Implementing your mobility strategy

Customer case study

08 Conclusion300 IT and HR professionals at medium-sized and large organisations about the future of the workplace. The Optus Future of Work report found that over the next three to five years, businesses that embraced mobility would become more flexible, productive and innovative.

the report found that of the organisations surveyed:

> Organisations increasingly plan to issue smartphones and tablets to management, sales and field force teams.1

> A growing number of organisations are prepared to allow employees to access the corporate network using personal devices.2

> Organisations believe allowing personal devices and social media access at work is going to be increasingly important in recruiting and retaining staff.3

> Businesses are expecting to boost their use of real-time collaboration tools over the next few years.4

> Businesses are increasingly planning to deploy mobility applications.5

> Organisations are concerned about the security and management challenges of allowing greater flexibility regarding when and where people work.6

1 Optus Future of Work Report, pages 16 and 17 2 Optus Future of Work Report, page 38 3 Optus Future of Work Report, pages 35 and 404 Optus Future of Work Report, page 28 5 Optus Future of Work Report, pages 26 and 27 6 Optus Future of Work Report, page 52

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Mobility trends.In our opinion, these findings reflect a ‘perfect storm’ of trends and events that are reshaping the corporate landscape. These developments include:

More poWerful Mobile DeviCesBusinesses and consumers are increasingly taking advantage of the benefits of mobility. Using recently released devices, mobility is a fulfilling experience thanks to convenient form factors, large screens, powerful processors, intelligent mobile device operating systems, fast network speeds and a growing range of applications.

As screens become larger, users are engaging with their devices with their eyes rather than their ears – using Internet browsers and accessing email rather than making calls.

Mobile devices are easier and more intuitive to operate than ever, making mobility more mainstream, rather than a niche interest for the tech-savvy. In fact, mobile devices are increasingly becoming a ‘must have’ accessory for fashionable people.

Device functionality is also improving. Many recent-model smartphones include chips that enable ‘wave-and-go’ contactless mobile payments.

Competition – particularly between Apple and manufacturers of devices that use Google’s Android operating system – is likely to spur continued development. HP’s decision to withdraw its Touchpad tablet from the Australian marketplace only four days after its release7 further highlights the intensity of the mobile device marketplace.

Mobile netWork enhAnCeMentsThe advent of 3G mobile networks has fuelled an increase in the range of applications available to mobile users including video on mobile devices. This enables users to take advantage of next-generation collaboration tools to make better and more timely business decisions. Emerging long term evolution (LTE) mobile data technologies are expected to enable businesses to take up even richer applications.

rApiD tAke-up of the internet AnD soCiAl MeDiAA social media presence is becoming increasingly important in allowing businesses to converse with customers and prospects – many of whom access social networks using mobile devices.

Organisations must account for how social media and this rise in connectivity impacts the way they do business. For example, one

person’s bad experience could be relayed to thousands of people in hours. By the same token, apologising and acting to correct mistakes can quickly repair damage caused by an unfortunate incident. The increase in social media access over mobile devices reinforces the fact businesses in our opinion should understand social media, establish a presence and engage partners, customers and other stakeholders. Otherwise we think they risk not knowing about or influencing conversations that affect them.

Businesses are recognising the need to accommodate demand for social media access in the workplace. According to the Optus Future of Work report, the number of organisations expecting to allow monitored use of social media is set to increase considerably over coming years.8

HR decision-makers believe social media access in the workplace or from company-issued devices will play an increasingly important role in recruiting and retaining staff.9

The report also indicates that Generation Y employees, in particular, are driving demand for internal social media tools.10 As a result, organisations are evaluating instant messaging and presence technologies and reviewing what business process changes would make these tools useful.

the DigitisAtion of WorkBy capturing and archiving information electronically, organisations are likely to benefit from:

> Reduced environmental footprint and physical storage requirements by lowering the volume of paper passing through the business

> Reduced duplicated data entry, thereby improving productivity and minimising human errors

> Improved information accessibility and availability.

For example, workers can access a scanned business plan rather than rifling through a filing cabinet for a copy.

Making this information available to workers with tablets or smartphones extends these benefits. For example a field force worker can input customer service information into a tablet while on the road to the next job, rather than returning to the office to type up handwritten notes. For many businesses, the digitisation of work represents a key step on the path to enabling their employees to work anywhere at any time.

7 http://www.news.com.au/technology/tablets/hp-touchpad-dumped-four-days-after-local-release/story-fn6vigfp-1226118008455

8 Optus Future of Work Report, page 33 9 Optus Future of Work Report, page 35 10 Optus Future of Work Report, page 29 11 Optus Future of Work Report, pages 35 and 40 12 Optus Future of Work Report, page 39 13 Optus Future of Work Report, page 29

generAtionAl ChAngeThe infusion of younger people into the workforce is playing a key role in making the mobile organisation a reality. HR respondents in the Optus Future of Work report believed that allowing employees to use personal devices for business purposes would be an important recruitment and retention tool in future.11

The report indicated workers born after 1960 were helping to fuel demand for personal device access.12 The research also suggested that younger workers were more likely than their older counterparts to want access to social media from the workplace or company-issued devices 13.

the globAlisAtion of WorkMobility is extending the boundaries of the organisation beyond national and regional borders. By integrating mobility and social media, organisations can use more channels to build and maintain organisational culture. Social media tools can improve an organisation’s ability to share and transfer knowledge, unify business practices and culture, and enable teams to collaborate across multiple time zones and countries.

perfeCt storM

the globalisation of work

More powerful mobile devices

Mobile network enhancements

rapid take-up of the internet and social media

the digitisation of work

generational change

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For organisations that choose to implement mobility, the potential benefits include:

A greAter Ability to reCruit AnD retAin tAlenteD stAff.As younger ‘digital natives’ gradually displace their older counterparts, they will expect mobility generally, and the ability to use their own mobile devices in the workplace, as standard practice.Private businesses already say finding and retaining people is one of their top challenges. 17 A mobility-enabled workplace could become a key weapon in the war for talent.

possible iMproveD eMployee sAtisfACtion AnD proDuCtivity.Employees will be able to minimise unproductive time spent on the road or completing tiresome administration tasks. For example, salespeople can visit more customers if they can update account histories on a tablet computer rather than having to head back to the office to enter data. This allows them to make more sales and earn more commission, and relieves them of the need to double- or triple-enter data.

A plAtforM to further enhAnCe business perforMAnCe.Mobile business applications will soon be able to take advantage of faster networking speeds. The increased processing power and

greater functionality now available on relatively inexpensive mobile devices will enable businesses to make new products and services available and improve their internal capabilities.

For example, Jim’s Antennas has made an application available to technicians who work for its franchisees, enabling them to prepare invoices, review manuals and enter job details on an Apple iPad. Also, following a request from a franchisee, the Jim’s Antennas head office logged into the franchisee’s iPad to help him determine why he was not meeting his targets. The head office then organised training to improve his performance.

By delivering these applications to devices from the cloud, organisations can minimise their costs and business risks while maintaining performance.

A positive ChAnge in the nAture of Work.Finally, organisations can use mobility to drive fundamental change in the nature of work. For example, for employees who rarely visit the office, work becomes an activity rather than a location. From an organisational perspective, work becomes more about outcomes and less about visibility in the office. In addition, businesses can minimise their investment in facilities.

Mobility trends. The benefits of mobility.The consumerisation of IT and BYO computing . Many of these trends stem from the consumerisation of IT. According to researchers International Data Corporation, the consumerisation of IT stems from the bring-your-own (BYO) computing trend, which has seen employees bring their own mobile devices to work to access social media such as Facebook and Twitter. These changes flow on to business processes, affecting customers, partners and employees.

A survey of 3,000 information workers and business executives in nine countries, co-sponsored by Unisys and released in July 2011, revealed a growing share of personal devices used to access business applications, collaboration and social media applications.14

Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) agreed that employees bringing consumer devices into the workplace would be more productive,

while a similar number (74 per cent) agreed that IT departments would inevitably have to support consumer devices in the workplace.

BYO computing is gaining traction in corporate Australia. For example, financial services firm Suncorp unveiled plans in March 2011 to allow thousands of its workers to use their personal computers, including Apple iPads, at work.15 Legal firm Norton Rose and Qantas subsidiary Jetstar have also flagged their preparedness to allow staff-owned devices to access their corporate networks.16

The emergence of cloud computing as an on-demand IT service delivery model is also impacting businesses. This model enables IT departments to reduce capital expenditure, scale resources up and down in line with demand, and respond quickly to changing market conditions. In future, most users will access cloud-hosted applications from their mobile devices.

17 pwC, private business barometer, october 2010

Desirable devices link personal and work life “can’t function without”

Generational changes and life/work balance

Work is an activity anywhere, any device

Proliferation of mobile devices. Smartphones and tablets outsell PC/laptops

Allows people to connect anywhere they have the internet

Cloud/ IP Based information technology

IT Consumerisation

evolution to the perfeCt storM

14 IDC, Consumerisation of IT Study; Closing the Consum-erisation Gap

15 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/suncorp-goes-byo-in-hardware-as-staff-are-encouraged-to-plug-in-their-devices/story-e6frgakx-1226029655986

16 http://www.itnews.com.au/News/256857,why-big-australia-is-gaga-for-byo-computing.aspx

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CustoMer CAse stuDy The Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) is a not-for-profit organisation that provides mobile nursing care to people living in South Australia.

inDustry - HealthcarerequireMentsRDNS had 600 health and care workers who travelled extensively each day to visit patients. Nurses used to capture their actions using paper notes and then re-key this information into a patient record management system.

Nurses carried manuals of organisational and clinical procedures in the boots of their cars and had to go back to the contact centre if they needed more medical supplies. This situation required time-consuming travel or note-taking over the telephone.

solutionRDNS implemented a Microsoft Exchange Server email server and housed patient records in a Microsoft SQL Server database. It then deployed a mobile application to Windows Mobile operating system smartphones it had issued to the nurses. Optus Business collaborated with a mobile specialist partner to implement the application.

resultsUsing the Windows Mobile devices and with information now available at the touch of a button, RDNS nurses can spend more time looking after their patients and less time on data entry and travel. They each save around 45 minutes per day.

Deploying mobility.We think that businesses should take stock of their current situation and develop an enterprise mobility strategy. To maximise the benefits of mobility, this strategy should be based on three guiding principles:> Keeping your employees, customers and partners connected> Making information available where and when they need it> Enabling real-time collaboration and interactionImplementing mobility can have far-reaching implications, such as extending organisational boundaries beyond physical office locations and into the homes of employees who access the corporate network using a desktop or notebook computer. We think the most immediate concern for businesses is the need to implement a security model that protects information and services, regardless of location.

Mobility affects IT, HR, boards and senior management, and business units. When implementing mobile working we think that:

> HR will need to develop and apply policies governing use of mobile devices.

> IT will provide the capability to securely connect these devices to the corporate network.

> Boards will need to address governance issues caused by the way mobility changes how their organisations deliver services and protect information.

> Senior managers will need to make themselves aware of the implications for revenue and staff performance of allowing people to use mobile devices as their primary way of connecting to the office.

> Business units must be prepared to execute mobility strategies and make recommendations to ensure their continued success.

iMpleMenting your Mobility strAtegy.So how can your organisation reap the benefits of mobility? We think the most important step is to develop an enterprise mobility strategy that supports your broader business objectives (and is underpinned by the three guiding principles already discussed).This strategy may then help you drive mobility throughout your business. If implemented it will require significant changes in workplace culture, policies and practices.

We suggest the following steps for implementing a mobility strategy:

> Review the current status of mobility within your organisation. As part of this process, ask yourself: are my employees, partners and customers connected? Is information available where and when they need it? Can they collaborate and interact in real time?

> Use this status update to develop a mobility strategy aligned with your business objectives and based on the guiding principles. To succeed, the development process must include all functions within your business, not just the IT department. By omitting or

minimising the involvement of other business functions, you risk compromising the effectiveness of your deployment. One way of ensuring your organisation takes mobility seriously is to secure senior executive sponsorship and have the CEO or chief operating officer chair regular mobility taskforce meetings involving representatives of all participating departments.

> Resist the temptation to address mobility purely from a cost perspective. By viewing mobility as an opportunity to secure a competitive advantage, you can establish a platform to unleash its full capabilities for your business.

> Analyse the working styles of groups of employees across your organisation to determine where you can allocate your mobility investments most effectively. For example, you should first review the prospective benefits for your sales executives, field force team and middle managers.

> Look first at roles that are highly mobile – or could be highly mobile in future – by examining the processes people use in their day-to-day roles. Which of these could be mobilised and what would be the revenue benefits of doing this? For example, could a sales executive increase the number of customers or prospects he or she meets in a day?

> Once you have completed this analysis, identify the resources and processes necessary to mobilise these roles. This may include determining whether smartphones or tablets best meet your needs. You should also consider what mobile device tools you need to deploy to secure devices – whether they are company-issued or BYO. Also consider deploying an internal business application portal to give staff access to the mobile applications they need.

> Develop a governance regime and policies that support the strategy. You then need to locate and deploy the technology that secures information, storage, servers and the network against intrusion through mobile devices.

> Train staff to use company-issued or personal mobile devices inaccordance with corporate policies.

> Once you have implemented mobility, monitor its impact on workers and the organisation, enforce policies and undertake constant reviews to identify opportunities for improvement or change. This review should again be driven by the three guiding principles – asking yourself whether these still apply across your organisation should help you identify any gaps that have emerged due to expansion, acquisition or other changes.

ConClusionMobility is changing the way we work; its momentum is irresistible. By embracing its possibilities, organisations are less likely to be trampled by their more progressive competitors. They may improve productivity and gain a competitive advantage.However, mobilising the workforce is not the province of one department alone – HR must provide policy and strategy direction, and IT must deliver the enabling technology. These two functions must work closely together and with business units to ensure your organisation realises the full potential of mobility.

Optus Business expects mobility to start achieving its potential within organisations over the next three to five years. To harness these trends, your organisation needs to develop a mobility strategy and implementation plan. By doing this, you will be able to reap the productivity, flexibility and cost benefits that mobility can deliver.

By ensuring all relevant departments are involved, you will also position your business to be ready for the next wave of change.

Review current mobility status:How do you work?

How do you want to work?

Implement and monitor impact

Train staff

Develop governance policiesIdentify resources and

processes needed to deploy mobility

Analyse work styles to work out where best to deploy mobility

investments

Develop your mobility strategy aligned to your

organisational goals

Mobility strAtegy

WHITEPAPER: Mobile Working

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About Optus Business.Optus Business is passionate about understanding the issues and opportunities facing the business community. We are committed to offering the kind of expertise, advice and services that allow businesses to succeed, while taking care of the technology that underpins our customers’ ability to compete and thrive.