#GenMobile has entered the workforce!

DUBAI, UAE: Aruba Networks asks businesses across the globe ‘Are you ready for #GenMobile?' by launching a report that explores a new breed of employee that is changing the workplace as we know it.

The report, which surveyed 5,000+ respondents worldwide, including the two biggest IT markets in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE), reveals characteristics of the newly dubbed #GenMobile, a group of employees defined by their preference for mobility both in terms of the devices they use and their approach to work. They have a tendency for non-traditional work hours, demand flexible work locations over higher salaries and request reliable internet, asking for Wi-Fi versus 4G, 3G or wired connections.

The majority of #GenMobile are in the early stages of their career, owns three or more connected devices (62 percent), and feels most productive when working from home (57 percent). #GenMobile are so attached to their mobile devices that they are 15 times more likely to give up coffee and seven times more likely to say goodbye to their televisions than their beloved smartphones.

The report reveals that, rather than acting as an aide to the workday, #GenMobile are shaping their working lives around their mobile devices. With the ability to work effectively any time, any place and on any device, they expect employers to make the policy and structural changes necessary to enable their preferred form of working.

Global trends driving #GenMobile into the workforce

Wi-Fi matters: Nearly 58 percent prefer Wi-Fi at the expense of other connections (4G, 3G or wired), while 51 percent declare that their mobile devices help them to manage their lives.

Money isn't everything: Over half (53 percent) would prefer to work from home two to three days a week than receive a 10 percent higher salary and nearly a third (32 percent) would rather have their employer pay for the smartphone of their choice than a 5 percent higher salary.

A new workday is emerging: Over four in ten (45 percent) believe they work most efficiently before 9am or after 6pm.

All things connected: It's no surprise that almost half (45 percent) want their cars connected but it is interesting to see that a fifth (20 percent) want their clothes or shoes to be connected in the next five years.

Tech at work is essential: 38 percent would rather be able to bring their own device to work than have an office with a window, and 53 percent would rather their company paid for their choice of device than provided them with lunch.

Mobile at every pause: The average consumer spends 21 hours per week on their mobile devices doing errands like banking, or viewing movies for entertainment, and 37 percent expect their number of remote work hours to increase in the next 12 months.

The findings in the UAE and Saudi Arabia reflect the global trend above.

How to spot #GenMobile

The typical #GenMobile abides by the ‘anywhere, anytime' principles of flexible working, where office hours are no longer constrained to the traditional workday.

Aruba Networks believes that understanding and catering to #GenMobile's needs can be the key to a productive workforce, while also ensuring global companies are in a competitive position. For example #GenMobile are more likely than other groups to access mobile apps such as Facebook (17 percent) and Twitter (14 percent). But they are also 20 percent more likely to access and respond to work emails on their mobile device. For #GenMobile, mobile is second nature to both a work and personal life.

However, there remains space for human interaction in the life of a #GenMobile. Nearly two thirds (63 percent) indicated that they still value the time when they can disconnect their devices, suggesting that companies must be able to provide effective downtime when it is needed.

"We've seen flexible working, BYOD and always-on connectivity growing for some time in the Middle East, but this report shows that it's now become a way of life for those in the modern workforce," said Ammar Enaya, regional director at Aruba Networks Middle East & Turkey.

"What this report suggests is that #GenMobile won't have patience with companies who do not accommodate their mobile lives. In order to attract and keep the best employees, regional businesses need to start looking for solutions to ensure levels of empowerment and productivity in this emerging working world. Ultimately, many will have to totally redefine traditional work environments."

Alongside the demand for increased mobility, the report calls for companies to take heed of #GenMobile associated technology requirements. For example, while the majority (70 percent) of the typical #GenMobile demands Wi-Fi or mobile broadband connectivity (12 percent more than average), operator-run technologies such as 3G and 4G are only preferred by 7 percent and 5 percent of respondents, respectively.

"Making the necessary workplace changes needs to be supplemented with solid technology choices; employers will only succeed in motivating #GenMobile workers if they have the security and connections available to facilitate this shift," added Enaya.

Regional findings

In the Middle East, the ownership of mobile products in general is higher than any other region - 84 percent of respondents in the UAE own three or more connected devices (82 percent in Saudi Arabia), and they also display the highest ownership of tablets in the survey (42 percent in UAE, 31 percent in Saudi Arabia).

The increasing demand for flexible work styles is best illustrated in the US, where 79 percent of respondents declared that they feel most efficient when working at home.

Respondents in the UK are also above average in this regard, with 72 percent stating that the home office is where they can be most productive.

The blend between work and personal device usage is best illustrated in South Africa, where 54 percent of respondents use their smartphone or tablet to check work emails and 46 percent use the same device to carry out mobile shopping. At 80 percent, this region also has the highest percentage of smartphone owners.

The importance of personal devices for work is best illustrated in Germany, where 83 percent of respondents reported using their smartphone or tablet to check their emails.

In Sweden, 76 percent of respondents reported using their personal device for banking, illustrating how central mobile products have now become to fulfill an activity that was previously carried out in person.

The importance of personal devices to everyday life is best illustrated in France, where 62 percent of respondents declared that the devices make it easier for them to manage their personal and professional lives.

The purchasing of new, connected devices has shown strong recent growth in Spain, where 63 percent have acquired a smartphone in the past year. Over a quarter of the respondents here (27 percent) already own a tablet.