IDC: Mobile Workers Will Make Up Nearly 75 Percent of US Workforce

The number of mobile workers in the US will rise from 96.2 million to 105.4 million over the next five years. By 2020 mobile workers will account for nearly three-quarters (72.3 percent) of the US workforce, according to a new report from IDC. Falling prices for smartphones and tablets will help fuel the trend, as will growth in company employees making use of personal devices at work – the “Bring Your Own Device,” or BYOD, trend, IDC highlights.

Innovations in mobile broadband and computing technology will also contribute to growth in the number of mobile workers in the U.S. The introduction and/or greater use of biometric readers, connected wearable devices, voice control technology, near-field communications (NFC) and augmented reality will transform the nature of work in the US, IDC says. Productivity will rise as communication is enhanced and workflows become more streamlined and efficient. Just under 7 in 10 (69.1 percent) of those with a stake in enterprise mobility surveyed by IDC for a recent research report said operating or capital expenditure costs were reduced as a result of implementing BYOD programs.