Bridging the mobile generation gap

A Computing survey finds that the urge to lockdown or ignore mobile technologies remains strong; but IT needs to get hip to the new breed

"Turn that bloody racket down!", parents would yell at their teenage offspring in the dim and distant past, the response to which was, invariably, a cranking up of the volume one more notch.

In those times, those beyond the age of decrepitude (generally around 30) and those who would rather die than reach it would hurl missiles at each other's musical tastes across the unbridgeable divide of the generation gap.

No longer. While the appeal of K-pop and drone metal might still cause some head-scratching among older generations, having grown up with youth culture they are generally much harder to shock and actually quite likely to share musical tastes with people far younger than themselves.

Instead of music, the new generation gap is defined by mobile technology. Not that over-30s don't use smartphones and tablets, but the sheer pace of change in the devices, the applications and the way they are used means that an adaptable younger generation is once again doing things its own way. This presents an uncomfortable conundrum for IT leaders, most of whom find themselves on the wrong side of the new generational divide.

Not my generation
The mobile devices used by employees, whether they are the latest cutting-edge models or not, share the same core functionality: the ability to connect people to each other, to cloud-based platforms and to suites of free or low-cost applications, some of which have the potential to synch with enterprise systems, bypassing the internal controls.

This is a direct challenge to the traditional IT mindset, which is focused on investing in the latest, cutting-edge, on-premise kit with everything safely retained within a firewalled perimeter.

"They can like it or lump it," is the traditional growled response to the seemingly insatiable demands of the younger generation. But brought up on mobile and internet technologies, and with some schools now even offering iPads or similar devices to pupils, the fact is that young people increasingly view organisations that do not allow mobile and flexible working - or at least accommodate their use of mobile and social platforms - as hopelessly behind the times.

And of course the young are not the only ones driving mobility. In organisations of all sizes and sectors, working away from the office is becoming increasingly widespread at all levels.

A Computing survey of 270 IT managers across every size of organisation and across every sector revealed that senior managers (59 per cent) and middle managers (52 per cent) constitute the majority of the mobile workforce, followed by sales (49 per cent, see figure 1). What's more, these mobile workers make up some 25 per cent of the workforce on average, making them a tough constituency to ignore.

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Anyway, anyhow, anywhere
The proliferation of mobile devices, the fact that those using them include both junior and senior members of staff, and the increasing proportion of workers who are now mobile all present some uncomfortable truths for IT chiefs, some of whom are finding themselves on the back foot.

Bridging the mobile generation gap

A Computing survey finds that the urge to lockdown or ignore mobile technologies remains strong; but IT needs to get hip to the new breed

First, we have the familiar "consumerisation" argument, where many employees have made their own private mobile technology choices, independent of the IT department, which, given budget, management and operational constraints cannot hope to keep up with a rapidly advancing marketplace.

Second, what staff see as freedom, choice and agility also leads to a mixing of work and leisure in a way that has spawned a new way of working that, in many cases, is more productive. No IT manager wants to stand in the way of increased productivity.

There can be little doubt that these changes are popular with the workforce as a whole, but then it is not their job to maintain and secure systems and data.
So, what is the response of the UK IT manager?

Replying to the survey, 29 per cent of IT managers describe their attitude to mobility and mobile working as being one of "total lockdown". A further 18 per cent say that they "turn a blind eye" to employees who use mobile devices for work - strongly suggesting that employees in either case are using their own, rather than corporate, devices. Together, these opinions represent 47 per cent of UK organisations (figure 2).

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These attitudes are understandable considering that many undoubtedly work for organisations in which flexible and mobile working makes little sense. There are also important choices to be made about retaining control over unruly systems, or maintaining the IT department's position within the organisation that are causing IT to adopt a wait-and-see posture.

Whether such stances will still be viable two or three years hence though, is doubtful. The meteoric rise of mobile devices is projected to continue, partly at the expense of traditional desktops and laptops.

For this reason those imposing a strict ban are likely to find themselves on the wrong side of history. A lockdown may also spark resentful rebellion with people attempting to beat the system, and may ultimately prove to be unworkable.

Meanwhile, the risks associated with turning a blind eye will become increasingly apparent. IT managers who find themselves reacting passively to mobile proliferation in the workplace will find it harder and harder to retain or regain the controls.

It is not just the danger of being left behind in some unfashionable ghetto, sporting the IT equivalent of a mullet and loon pants. Change spawns opportunity, and IT departments need to be in the driving seat as new ways of working and new markets emerge.

The kids are alright
For many years, mobility has been all about productivity gains, which are typically put at between 20 and 25 per cent over deskbound, office-hours working. However, the Computing survey found that, while still important, productivity is now slipping down the league table of measurable ROI advantages (figure 3).

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Improved working practices are now the prime focus, cited by 33 per cent of respondents. An increase in profits from a decrease in operating costs is joint second on the list (cited by nearly 20 per cent of IT managers), matched by the feel-good factor: an increase in employee engagement - including that of the social media butterflies of the younger generation. Taken together these benefits show that IT heads believe mobility is a positive force.

In figure 2, 28 per cent of IT managers describe themselves as "trailblazers" in the use of mobile devices/mobility solutions, meaning that they have accepted that the trend is irreversible and are keen to position themselves in the vanguard of change. It is likely that they will be joined by a steady stream of their peers as they realise that the new ways of working, if properly managed, have much to offer.

@ComputingJohn