A Mobile Workforce is the Key to our Economic Future

A mobile workforce works from anywhere in the world, be from a corner table at a coffee shop or out in the field at a construction site. Wouldnt you like to be able to pick up and move from the confining space of an office cubicle to a conference room or outdoor terrace if inspiration dictates. A mobile workforce has the freedom to work from whatever location best accomplishes its objectives.

The United States workforce is evolving into an increasingly mobile one with each passing year. The growth of the mobile workforce is due largely to the proliferation of wireless technology and high speed Internet networks and Internet driven handheld devices. The importance of maintaining a good work and life balance has also had an influence on the development of a mobile workforce.

The growing trend toward a mobile workforce presents some management issues for employers. A major issue is how to develop and maintain social relationships with workers scattered among different locations. Communications need to be tight and efficient to fit the limitations of an electronically driven network driven by those handheld devices that are increasingly favored by a mobile workforce. Management also needs to keep remote workers feel connected with the rest of the team through regular communication of company news and anecdotes. Employers must listen to their mobile workforce, let them know that their input is important to the team, understand their unique needs and trust them to do their job well even when they cannot look over their employees shoulders every day. A little trust can go a long way.

Besides being beneficial to worker quality of life, a mobile workforce represents a major cost cutting initiative for management. The company LAN network and related infrastructure can go by the wayside when the IT department converts to a cloud based technology network platform. Cloud based technology gives the mobile workforce the same network access, support and service that office based workers do, without the aggravation of the daily commute. Management can still secure and monitor its mobile workforce activities at each user endpoint, be it company laptop or handheld. And all this without the need for expensive internal hardware and desktop systems.

As business has gone global, so has the workforce. This mobile workforce is made up of more than telecommuters; it also includes workers whose jobs frequently take them away from the office for extended periods. These workers must be able to pack up and go on a moments notice. This will be the norm soon enough.

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