42% of mobile workers in UAE say they work most efficiently from home as compared to an office.

New report from Aruba Networks suggests an emerging breed of mobile workers is eroding traditional work patterns requiring employers to respond.The report 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.

Trends in UAE driving #GenMobile into the workforce

  • Mobile device ownership: Ownership of mobile products in UAE is the highest globally with 84% of respondents in UAE owning three or more connected devices and they also display the highest ownership of tablets in the survey (42%).
  • Wi-Fi matters: A very high three quarter (75%) of respondents in UAE prefer Wi-Fi at the expense of other connections (4G, 3G or wired), while 77% declare that their mobile devices help them to manage their lives.
  • Money isn’t everything: Nearly half (48%) of UAE respondents would prefer to work from home two to three days a week than receive a 10% higher salary and over one third (35%) would rather have their employer pay for the smartphone of their choice than a 5% higher salary.
  • A new workday is emerging: Over four in ten (42%) believe they work most efficiently before 9amor after 6pm rather than traditional working hours.
  • Work from home: 42% respondents in UAE say they work most efficiently from home as compared to an office, café or other public spaces.
  • All things connected: It’s no surprise that a little under two thirds (63%) want their cars connected but it is interesting to see over one half (53%) want their clothes or shoes or kitchen appliances like cookers and fridges to be connected in the next five years.
  • Tech at work is essential: A quarter (25%) would rather be able to bring their own device to work than have an office with a window, and over two thirds (67%) would rather their company paid for their choice of device than provided them with lunch.
  • Remote working on the rise:  Over half (51%) expect their number of remote work hours to increase in the next twelve months.

GenMobile are more likely than other groups to access mobile apps such as Facebook (17%) and Twitter (14%). But they are also 20% 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%) 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.