GigaOM » mobile workforce

Examining the dark side of the remote worker

Kevin Fitchard — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:52:33 +0000

The growing global remote workforce has had a big impact on business, giving employees more flexibility to slice and dice their personal and business lives and make the most efficient use of time. But there’s a dark side to detached workforce, as workers find themselves trapped in a mindset that leaves them constantly ‘on the job,’ which could ultimately lead to a loss of productivity, according to a new study by enterprise connectivity provider iPass and the Institute of Work Psychology at the University of Sheffield.

Using data compiled from iPass’ quarterly Mobile Workforce Project reports, the institute’s study (you can see the full text here) found that most remote and mobile workers make the most of their freedom, allowing them to better manage when and where they are on the clock, the study’s author Carolyn Axtell said at GigaOM’s Net:Work conference on Thursday. These employees effectively use downtime such as commuting or waiting for an appointment to get work done in discreet chunks. Those workers are aided by new mobile technologies like smartphones and tablets to get instant access to their workflow — rather than, say, booting up the laptop — which increases their overall productivity. They’re “moving the ball along,” said iPass CTO Barbara Nelson, which is a very efficient way to use a employee’s time.

But the study also found that a sizable number of workers, 26 percent, are using their newfound flexibility to essentially overwork, clocking 15 hours or more a week of extra time. Those extra hours lead to burnout, causing frustration, fatigue and even leading to mistakes or lack of attention to detail.

“If you’re not giving yourself an opportunity to recover and recharge your batteries, it will have an impact on your well-being and your productivity,” Axtell said. The work you do is no longer your best work, and the drop off in efficiency could lead to little net gain or even an overall decline in output and quality.

How do remote employees head off that inclination to overwork? Axtell said it can often be as simple as defining an action that allows a worker to draw a mental line between work and leisure. One home worker surveyed would simply go out the front door, walk around the house and go back inside, creating the illusion of coming home from the job. If you’re a remote worker, how do you draw the line?

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Photo by Pinar Ozger.

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Why RIM is cutting 2,000 jobs

Kevin C. Tofel — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:36:57 +0000

On Monday Research In Motion announced details of job cuts, reducing its employee count by 2,000 positions. The cuts account for just over 10 percent of RIM’s overall workforce, which after the staff reductions will number 17,000 people. Although RIM pointed out a forthcoming “cost optimization program” last month, the layoffs are another example of how slowly RIM is transitioning away from its legacy business to better compete in the smartphone and tablet market.

RIM’s workforce has ballooned since 2006, indicating on the surface that it’s keeping pace with the fast-growing mobile-device segment. Unfortunately, sales of BlackBerry phones aren’t. Companies such as Apple, Samsung and even beleaguered Nokia all sell more smartphones than RIM, and the company only makes smartphones — with the exception of the new PlayBook tablet, which has some pros but more cons to some and doesn’t appear to be selling well. Here is the company’s positioning on the job cuts:

RIM today provided further details on its cost optimization program, which is focused on eliminating redundancies and reallocating resources to focus on areas that offer the highest growth opportunities and alignment with RIM’s strategic objectives. The workforce reduction is believed to be a prudent and necessary step for the long term success of the company and it follows an extended period of rapid growth within the company whereby the workforce had nearly quadrupled in the last five years alone.

The entire situation reemphasizes that RIM has been too slow to change in a market that’s moving fast. The BlackBerry Storm, an attempt at an all-touchscreen device, was met with fanfare in 2008, but it never materialized as a solid competitor to Apple’s iPhone. Last year’s BlackBerry Torch was more evolution than revolution.

And the company’s plan to run future phones on a QNX-powered platform makes sense, but RIM bought QNX in April of 2010 and there are still no handsets announced for the new operating system. Instead, new Bold handsets are the latest offerings announced; they appear delayed and will run a new version of BlackBerry OS, not QNX. They’re also not expected to be upgradable to QNX either.

It wasn’t that long ago when the words “smartphone” and “BlackBerry” were synonymous to many. The times have changed drastically, but RIM has only changed marginally.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Robert_Elder

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Gigwalk finds a market for mobile temp work; signs Microsoft as a client

Ryan Kim — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:00:14 +0000

Gigwalk’s mobile temp work app is proving there’s a vibrant market when you bring together corporate clients looking to complete local tasks with iPhone-wielding mobile workers. The app, which launched in May for the iPhone, has racked up a more than 128,000 “gigs” and now counts Microsoft Bing as a customer.

Bing will use Gigwalkers to take panaromic 3-D photosynth pictures of businesses and restaurants for Bing Map results. The company is commissioning thousands of gigs across the country as it looks to implement the new feature, which will bring a kind of Google Streetview to the insides of restaurants and stores. It’s a good example of what Gigwalk can do for companies, which are often in need of mobile workers who can take pictures of places or objects, gather business information or check on retail promotions. TomTom and MenuPages are among some of the other corporate clients who have also signed on.

The service is also proving popular with iPhone users. GigWalk said it’s signed up more than 50,000 workers, who make an average of $5 per gig. That’s in just eight cities where Gigwalk has launched. Gigwalkers have collectively uploaded 903,571 photos and have traveled the equivalent of five trips to the moon and back.

Gigwalk is not the first to try this model; Field Agent launched a similar program last year. But it has more than 60,000 workers spread across the U.S. and doesn’t appear to have the same early momentum out of the gate that Gigwalk has.

Ariel Seidman, CEO of Gigwalk, said the early results validate the business model and show that that the app fills a need. He said he’s heard from a beverage company looking to get more pictures of its product in various locations to a billboard company to verify that the right advertisement went up. Seidman declined to say how much of each job Gigwalk receives in revenue.

Seidman seems just as proud of the reputation system he’s built for Gigwalkers, which works off of points called “street cred.” He said the system has helped identify quality Gigwalkers, direct gigs to the best workers and also provides feedback to users to help them improve. One company has actually kept some Gigwalkers on retainer based on their work and their reputation within Gigwalk. Seidman said the company is proving that it’s also got a better way to facilitate hiring and recruiting.

“My belief is the resumé is obsolete. What matters is not what you say about yourself but what others say about you and what you can actually do,” said Seidman.

As I’ve written before, I like what Gigwalk enables and it seems like a nice fit for both companies and smartphone users. So it’s cool to see that it’s getting off to a good start and showing that smartphones can be leveraged in this way. Gigwalk is taking its time rolling out, Seidman told me, but at this pace, I don’t see any reason why it can’t go national soon. Gigs and Gigwalkers aren’t just confined to big cities.

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Apple will shake up web work once again with iOS 5

Darrell Etherington — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:05:00 +0000

Apple seems to have a significant impact on the future of work without directly intending to. The iPhone has made steady inroads into the enterprise since its introduction, and the iPad is making big waves as well. These devices are especially useful for remote workers, for whom computing tech is the very lifeblood of their daily grind. Apple’s next-generation mobile operating system brings big improvements for consumers, but they’ll be no less beneficial to mobile workers.

Notifications

It’s hard to understand just how much better it is to be able to see your work-related emails lined up at a glance on your lock screen as they come in, without having to even unlock your device, until you’ve tried it for yourself. Plus, you can jump to any email in the list automatically with one swipe, instead of having to unlock, open the mail application, scroll and find the right email, then tap on the email. The new iOS notifications can also do the same thing for text messages, voicemail or even with alerts from third-party apps. This makes everything you do on your phone or iPad much, much easier; a boon for busy remote workers who are inundated daily with demands for their attention.

iMessage

While the value of iMessage, Apple’s new text and MMS replacement, may be reduced by being limited to a single platform (iOS only), that limitation didn’t stop BlackBerry Messenger from being a huge hit with the enterprise crowd. iMessage will even work on iPads and iPod touches, devices which don’t normally support text messaging. It’s also smart enough to detect when your recipient can receive iMessages, so iOS-based web workers will be using it whether or not they realize it.

AirPlay mirroring

An iPad 2, coupled with an Apple TV, can function as a mobile workstation, and a presentation tool you can use anywhere there’s a television or video output device. AirPlay mirroring of apps makes it easier to work on presentations and longer documents, especially when you pair your iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard for easier typing. Plus, developers should be able to leverage the new feature to come up with some really innovative two-screen interfaces that could significantly change the way we use mobile devices to get work done.

Documents in the cloud

As part of iOS 5 and iCloud, developers will be able to add simple cross-device syncing of document changes. This will be an incredible boon for remote workers, and especially for distributed teams, who should be able to take advantage of this in apps that let members work collaboratively on a single document. We could see solutions that allow a distributed team to work together on projects as if they were working on a corporate server, instead, using Apple’s free iCloud product, which should be handy for small companies and freelancers.

PC-free

There are mobile workers who can do everything they need to get done on an iPad and an iPhone, especially with the right software support from an in-house IT development team. For those workers, the most important thing about iOS 5 is that it finally severs the essential connection between iOS devices and a home PC. A workstation with an all-day battery and an always-on connection is now within reach, especially for remote workers with relatively light computing demands.

Apple gave mobile workers a lot to be thankful for with OS X Lion, too, including auto save, resume and version tracking for documents built into the OS, but I think the changes made in iOS 5 will have the biggest impact for remote teams. Apple also made a couple changes directly aimed at enterprise customers, like encryption for iMessage and S/MIME support in iOS Mail. If you’ve been waiting for a good time to introduce Apple devices to your mobile workflow, there’s never been a better time than this fall, when iOS 5 is released.

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7 iPad Habits of Highly Effective Remote Workers

Darrell Etherington — Mon, 30 May 2011 13:02:29 +0000

The use of the iPad by mobile workers is on the rise, and that brings with it both boons and challenges for worker productivity. Here’s how you and your remote staff can stay on top of iPad usage, lest iPad usage controls you and your organization instead.

1. These Are the Apps You Need; These Are the Apps You Don’t

Keep your productivity and entertainment app worlds separate on your iPad. I know it’s too much to ask that workers who are mostly using their own personal devices in the work place to use them strictly for work purposes, but everyone will be happier and better able to focus on getting work done if you keep your fun and games-related apps in a separate folder or folders. Keeping the productivity and work-related apps out in the open on the app’s home screen will give them priority seating when it comes to your attention span, and the distractions will be left just a little bit beyond finger’s reach, where they’ll be less of a temptation.

2. Carry a Keyboard

The iPad is a great consumption device, but as we’ve seen, people aren’t crazy about using it for data input. Having a Bluetooth keyboard handy makes working on the iPad exponentially better. You have a few choices when it comes to which keyboard to carry. I’m personally a fan of the ZAGGmate keyboard/hard case combo, which comes in both original iPad and iPad 2 flavors, but the official Apple Wireless Keyboard is an attractive option, too.

3. Have a Wireless Strategy

If you want to use the iPad to make mobile working easier, you’ll hit a wall pretty fast if you don’t have access to a reliable data connection. For users with a 3G-capable iPad, this means checking to make sure you have an active plan ready to go with the carrier of your choosing, and ensuring that your carrier offers service in the place you intend to use your iPad. If it doesn’t, shop around for a temporary carrier/SIM card for your working destination.

Verizon iPad owners will want to make sure that they have something other than a simple SIM switch in place for most international destinations, which largely use GSM technology to power their networks. Finding a provider that offers a pay-as-you go mobile hotspot solution might be a good workaround. Companies can help by issuing globally-compatible mobile hotspot hardware to remote employees who travel internationally.

4. Have a Battery Backup

Battery backup offerings for the iPad are many and varied, but carrying a reliable one that has enough juice to give your iPad a decent bump is a good idea. You never know when you might lose your power cord, or forget to secure an adapter before a quick stopover in an international destination. Check out Dave Greenbaum’s roundup of iPhone and iPad battery backups for a good look at some of the better options out there.

5. Enable Find My iPad

Losing an iPad really sucks. But what’s worse is losing your iPad having not enabled Apple’s free Find My iPad service. Through MobileMe, Apple can help you locate a lost iPad if it’s enabled, or at the very least, you can use the service to remotely wipe your device, thereby protecting sensitive personal and work-related data. Enterprise is already nervous about the potential security hazards associated with consumer devices in the workplace; help make them less so.

6. Lock It Up

It may seem obvious, but even more important than enabling Find My iPad is setting up your device to require a passcode upon waking. You can do this in the iPad’s Settings app, under General > Passcode Lock. By default, the iPad will use a simple passcode consisting of a 4 digit number, but you can turn this off, which will let you set a longer password that can combine both letters and numbers. If you’re storing sensitive information on your device, you’re better off using a complex passcode lock.

7. Invest in a Good Headset

The iPad truly can be a communications hub — even for voice chat and phone calls. But it’s not perfectly suited to that task out of the box. If you get yourself a decent headset, however, you can better make and take phone calls on your device using VoIP apps, and you’ll even be better equipped for using the many video conferencing options available for the iPad 2, like that provided by Cisco’s WebEx.

Share your tips for more effective iPad working in the comments.

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Sleepless? Then Stop Taking Your iPhone To Bed.

Darrell Etherington — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:12 +0000

Mobile workers just don’t put the phone down, according a new report from iPass, which provides Wi-Fi and 3G network access to enterprise clients for use by their employees. The company surveyed more than 3,500 people from 1,100 large corporations worldwide and asked them about their mobile device work habits. The results may not be all that surprising, if you’re a mobile worker, but they are somewhat terrifying (or maybe just really depressing).

iPass found that mobile workers have a hard time being physically separated from their smartphones, even when it’s ostensibly time to sleep. More than half at 61 percent of those surveyed keep the phone in the bedroom, and 41 percent have it within arm’s reach of where they sleep. Those figures jump to 77 and 60 percent respectively when you’re talking about the younger crowd (respondents between the ages of 22 and 34). Just over a third at 35 percent of mobile workers check their email before doing anything else when they wake up in the morning, and another 38 percent admit to checking their email at various times during the night.

Mobile workers also tend to own a surprising amount of tablets, given how relatively fresh on the scene those devices are. iPass found that 41 percent of those surveyed have one currently, and 34 percent are planning to get get one within the next six months. Tablet use in the mobile workforce is heavily dependent on what workers bring to the job themselves, as the report reveals that 73 percent own their own tablets, while only 27 percent of those who use one receive a device from their employer.

Employers will be interested to learn that mobile workers work, on average, 240 hours more per year than the workforce in general. That lends credence to the belief that employees who aren’t tied to the office put in more time on the job than their traditional counterparts.

Check out the infographic below for even more interesting (and depressing) data points from the iPass Global Mobile Workforce Report.

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Need Some Part Time Work? Use Your iPhone

Ryan Kim — Wed, 04 May 2011 11:00:25 +0000

The iPhone has been quietly taking money out of people’s pockets with its addictive apps. But a new app is looking to put some money back, by turning iPhone users into an on-demand mobile workforce. Gigwalk is launching publicly in the App Store after a six-month beta, offering a way for iPhone users to make up to $1,600 a month doing temporary mobile tasks like collecting and reporting real world data with their phones.

The app allows companies of all sizes to quickly deploy mobile workers that can send back data from the field. Real estate companies can use it to get pictures of properties, product companies can find out if retailers are properly featuring their wares and mapping providers can use it to confirm points of interest or a street name. TomTom, for instance, uses Gigwalk to verify its maps.

Ariel Seidman, CEO and co-founder of Gigwalk, said the iPhone is creating the opportunity to build a purpose-based network where companies can leverage the distribution of all of these phones for business purposes. That in turn can create a new economy that benefits both companies and iPhone users looking for some extra money.

“We’re turning iPhones into a global workforce where businesses can collect real-world data on the ground,” Seidman.

Gigwalk is also announcing a $1.7 million seed round today, with investment from Reid Hoffman of Greylock Discovery Fund, Jeff Clavieer of Softech VC, Michael Dearing of Harrison Metal, Bill Trenchard of Founder Collective and Alex Lloyd of Accelerator Ventures.

Seidman said Gigwalk — which is available in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Miami — is replacing work that used to go to temp agencies and Craigslist. But the company is not just trying to bring employers and iPhone users together, it’s creating a routing system that uses reputation to deliver jobs to the most proficient nearby Gigwalkers. Gigwalkers can earn anywhere from $3 to $90 or each gig with a $1,600 cap each month. Seidman said Gigwalkers in the beta were often people with seasonal jobs and students.

Seidman said that with its public launch, companies can submit their own gigs without having to coordinate with Gigwalk. He said there are a wide array of applications for this kind of work, giving companies access to a pair of eyes on the street at any time. He expects companies will eventually integrate Gigwalk into their business plans, leaning on its workforce for more and more jobs. Gigwalk wins by taking in a percentage of each job payment.

I think Gigwalk is a cool idea and a logical step for companies already looking to outsource small tasks. Devices like the iPhone are turning into real world sensors that can report back all kinds of data. Why not harness that distributed power and call upon it when you need it? These devices are not just able to capture data but they’re able to report back instantly over wireless networks. It’s a win both for companies needing temporary help and iPhone users looking for a little spending cash. If they’re like me, they could use some more money after all the apps they’ve downloaded.

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Free GigaOM Pro Webcast: The Post-PC Enterprise

Michael Wolf — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:51:44 +0000

With smartphones outselling PCs and 1 in 4 mobile workers choosing a tablet as their mobile device of choice, it’s not surprising that many believe the post-PC enterprise is upon us.

But this shift is not just about mobile devices. The emergence of mobile enterprise applications, cloud services and the rapid proliferation of mobile broadband has given rise to a newly empowered mobile workforce, which has in turn created a large-scale shifts in both the structure and mindset of the today’s enterprise IT department.

If you’d like to understand the implications of these changes on the enterprise and mobile workforce, we invite you to join us next week for a free, one-hour webcast entitled, Examining The Post-PC Enterprise. Our panelist of experts will include:

JP Finnell – GigaOM Pro member analyst & Principal, Mobility Partners
Barbara Nelson – Chief Technology Officer, iPass
Michael Wolf – Moderator, Vice President of Research, GigaOM

Some of the topics we’ll discuss:

How does the proliferation of mobile devices impact the security of enterprise networks?
What role does cloud computing play in the adoption of mobility in the enterprise?
What is the cost of managing a mobile workforce and how do you measure that against the direct and indirect business benefits of enterprise mobility?
What does the modern mobile worker look like and are they a leading indicator for the broader business workforce?

The webinar will take place next Wednesday, March 16th at 10 a.m. PDT. If you’re interested in attending this free webcast, please register today.

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