SMBs Must "Adapt Or Die" To Meet Technological Demands

Small and medium sized businesses [SMBs] are being told to make sure technology is in place to allow new employees to work flexibly and remotely in light of what the youth of the today expects.

Outsourcery, the UK-based cloud-service provider, cited figures from the Office of National Statistics [ONS] that stated seven in 10 adults use portable devices away from home and work and firms are being urged to adapt in so-as to not be left behind.

“Fundamentally, a workplace is made up of consumers who use mobile devices every day,” said Piers Linney, co-CEO of Outsourcery. “The way lifestyles are changing will inevitably have a direct impact on the way people work, and the best businesses are playing to the strengths of their employees by implementing strategies within the workplace which enable employees to work flexibly.”

One of the biggest shake-ups that SMBs can expect to see comes in the shape of a younger breed of workers that will have even more expectations of the companies they’re working for.

The same ONS data, which came from the “Internet Access – Households and Individuals 2014” report, showed that 96 per cent of respondents aged between 16 and 24 use a portable device to access the Internet on the go. This will have a disruptive effect on the way companies work and even those firms that aren’t already preparing could be missing a trick.

“As the next generation enters the workforce, it will become more vital for businesses to change the traditional workplace strategy they have in place. Some businesses have already embraced this, and reaped the benefits of a more efficient and mobile workforce; the others will need to catch up soon before they risk missing out on the new and growing skills of employees,” added Linney

Outsourcery’s comments come after a similar report commissioned by Ofcom ranked age groups based on how tech-savvy people are and showed that UK youngsters are at a far higher level than their parents.