More than 95% of employees in South African companies rely on the use of mobile devices to do business. This is according to research by Dell into the use of mobile devices by South African businesses, carried out in association with Microsoft, which surveyed IT professionals from companies with more than 250 employees.
The results show that:
* 85% of organisations currently offer a selection of smartphones, notebooks, ultrabooks, tablets and desktops to its employees;
* 95% of employees in South Africa use mobile devices when inside the four walls of the office, further highlighting the preference of portable devices for users in the country;
* 61% of companies in South Africa utilise tablets for business purposes demonstrating the extent to which this format of mobile touchscreen device has progressed beyond only being a consumer device;
* Over 38% rely on their mobile device as business productivity, connectivity and/or sales tools while out of the office to effectively share information with third parties;
* 44% rated that processing power is the single most important feature of a smart device; and
* Most smart devices are being used for Email messaging services (91%) and Internet browsing (88%) with office suites being used the least at 38%.
“Dell is proud to be part of this study that has shown the strength of mobility in the country,” says Chris Buchanan, client solutions lead at Dell Southern and Central Africa. “IT departments need to provide employees with a balance between productivity, security, power and portability in order to be able to work efficiently when away from the office. This is a trend that has been reflected globally, as shown by the recent Dell Evolving workforce survey.”
The survey aimed to identify the types of devices that companies are providing to employees and which devices employees have a preference for. All respondents within the survey were involved in the decision around IT purchases.
Respondents were sourced from a range of sectors, including education, technology, finance and engineering. The results of the survey provided insights into the strong culture of remote working in South Africa, as well as highlighted the requirements of users in the country. From specific features and functions to challenges with devices, the survey identified how innovation and usage in the country is set to transform within the next two years.