A wireless, mobile workplace is not longer a nice-to-have workplace option—it's go mobile or die. So say two recent studies from Aruba Networks, which also found that companies are falling far short of where their leadership and employees want to be when it comes to mobility. Aruba conducted two surveys, one of 1,000 global IT professionals to understand how they are managing what it calls GenMobile employees, and another to see what the workplace will be like in the near future. The studies found, in the words of an Aruba statement, "that the creation of an agile, all-wireless workplace is no longer an option, but a requirement." The studies also found that businesses are not succeeding in meeting their employees and leadership's demands for a mobile future. Seventy percent of IT professionals are facing increasing pressure from top executives to create an all-wireless workplace, but only 14% of employees say that they now have that kind of workplace, according to the findings. The benefits of all-wireless, mobile workplaces are clear, according to the survey: increased productivity, cost savings, and increased employee retention. But wanting such a workplace is one thing, and delivering it another thing entirely. There's a disconnect between what top executives want, and what is actually happening in their businesses.
Building the mobile apps business needs to meet today's GenMobile demand
In the past year, according to the survey, more than 71% of IT departments surveyed increased their investment in Wi-Fi, and 46% received budget increases for future mobility-related projects. Yet only 51% of global organizations reported a rise in mobile/remote working last year. Driving the push for mobile are GenMobile workers, with 77% of businesses saying that those workers increased their use of mobile technologies in the last year. And the same percentage of C-level executives said they have a greater interest in mobile than in the past because they want to support those GenMobile employees. The survey didn't delve into reasons why businesses are finding it difficult to deliver on the mobile future. However, a closer look at the findings provides a hint. Businesses have been stinting on what they spend on mobile app development. Only 35% of companies increased spending on that in the last year, compared to 71% of companies who increased spending on Wi-Fi, 65% who increased it on tablets, 60% who increased it on smartphones, and 51% who increased it on mobile device management. Better app development would no doubt improve the mobile workplace, and pay for itself many times over. 
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