Most UK managers say that allowing members of staff to work from their own devices enables the workplace to become more efficient, according to a new study,
A survey of 1,250 small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) from YouGov found two-thirds of leaders claiming that by rolling out a Bring Your Own Device programme (BYOD), companies could witness a boost in staff performance. This is up from 46 per cent last year and hints that rolling out this benefit could be the difference between straggling and prospering in austerity.
Although telegraph.co.uk states that managers across Europe, North America and Australia were polled as part of the study, those controlling operations in Britain were found to be the biggest supporters of flexible working.
The study claimed that as many as 47 per cent of UK firms say their employees are already using their personal devices for work purposes, while more than half of managers and senior directors say they're also using their own choice of technology.
Their high adoption may have been explained by another reading, which claimed that a quarter of UK firms say they're under far more pressure to offer flexible working policies than at the same time five years ago.
YouGov said this pressure was most likely coming from the employees themselves, perhaps because they need the option to work remotely in order to achieve a healthy work/life balance.
Robert Gratzl, of study commissioners Citrix, said the move to a more mobile workplace is certainly being encouraged.
He told realwire.com: "SMBs are increasingly investing in technologies to support this - with nearly twice as many now providing smartphones to their staff compared to two years ago - as they recognise the tangible value of enabling staff to work anywhere, with anyone equally effectively."