Looking around your workplace, you can probably see a majority of your coworkers on a mobile device or have it near them. It’s amazing how reliant we have become on these devices over the years. It has practically become a staple for personal and business purposes. With how convenient it is to use these devices, there has been an increase in their usage. It makes you wonder how much of an impact the devices are having on productivity at work. The argument can go both ways as to whether mobile devices increase or decrease productivity. Mobile devices are portable which increases availability and flexibility, but at the same time, they are very distracting.
With devices such as smartphones and tablets, technology has become very portable. This allows employees to access company information and resources without need to actually be in the office. They can work on the go, which increases availability. Being available more means that there is also an increase in flexibility. They also allow employees to work whenever and wherever they need to. Employees can work in a different state or country and still be able to contact anyone with a tap of a button. Normally when employees arrive to work, they spend the first thirty minutes checking their email or catching up. With mobile devices, employees can do all of that before arriving to work, meaning they can be more productive right away when they get to work. However, these devices can be very distracting at work as well.
To some, mobile devices are seen as a distraction in the workplace. Even though they seem like a good idea because employees can work from anywhere, this also means they can be used to check their texts, calls, or even social media while at work. Everyone is guilty of it, as soon as your phone goes off, it’s very hard not to check it immediately. This is happening more in meetings as well; phones interrupt them and distracts the person from what is going on during the meeting. Some employees may think they can be on their phone and work, but it can lead to a decrease in the quality and quantity of their work. Depending on the job, distractions from mobile devices can cause accidents in the workplace as well. The fact that mobile devices allow employees to work from anywhere at any time can also be a negative. Even if you think you are doing fine with your mobile device next to you, odds are you probably are not.
No matter what your feelings are towards mobile devices in the workplace, there are both positive and negatives that come with it. The trend of devices at work will not stop anytime soon so it’s better to embrace it. Mobile devices make things more convenient for employers, employees, and customers. Although they do make things convenient, they can be distracting. It’s better to be aware of how much you use it and making sure it doesn’t become too big of a distraction where it affects your work.
