A State of the Sector report by Gatehouse shows that more than 60% of employees are now permitted to view business information on their personal devices.
Bring your own device (BYOD) is a growing trend in the workplace. Simon Wright, co-director of Gatehouse, claims the challenges will not only be around security of information but also around the quality of information being transmitted.
There is a tendency not to regulate information sent from personal devices as much as that sent from workstations. “The growth in mobile presents businesses with real challenges. BYOD is often viewed publicly as the IT department’s responsibility. However, for this type of connectivity to be truly effective for a business, it’s essential that employee engagement is at the heart of it. Communicators must remain dedicated to creating universally good content and experience, regardless of the delivery channel," he said.
The report also suggests that while electronic interaction with employees is on the rise, more traditional employee communication is still holding its own. 16% of companies created an app for their employees in 2013. However, 15% of staff surveyed said their employers didn't use social media in any way for work purposes.
Print is still seen as an effective way to get information to employees. Last year saw an increase in the number of employee events being advertised through posters and flyers, the first time it has risen for many years. Wright said: “Our research echoes the belief that work is increasingly shifting towards mobile devices, but it also underlines that core channels like face-to-face and print are far from dead."
