Empowered by Bernoff Josh; Schadler Ted

Author:Bernoff, Josh; Schadler, Ted
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

how prevalent is do-it-yourself technology in the workplace?

In the same online survey we used to examine the behavior of people as consumers, we asked people to tel us about their use of technology at work. Of

the slightly more than ten thousand people in our survey, 4,364 were information workers—people who work with a computer. This group includes

administrative staff, cal center workers, and even some shop floor staff and cashiers along with traditional office workers.

More than one in three of the information workers in our survey used some form of do-it-yourself technology for work (see table 7-1). More than 10

percent used smartphones, and of those, the majority had provided the phone themselves. About one in seven information workers were downloading

applications to work computers. But the biggest self-provisioned technology is Web sites that employees use that aren’t sanctioned by IT. The most

popular sites among information workers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom were sites with productivity tools like Google Docs and

social networking sites like LinkedIn (see figure 7-2).

TABLE 7-1

Many information workers use do-it-yourself technology

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE ORGANIZATION

100 or fewer

101 to 999

1,000 or more

Self-provision some technology (Web sites, applications, smartphone or mobile plan) 36%

37%

37%

Regularly use unsanctioned login-required sites for work

25%

31%

27%

Download and use applications on work computer

13%

12%

12%

Pay for smartphone used for work

8%

7%

8%

Pay or help pay for mobile plan used for work

9%

9%

9%

Base: U.S. information workers.

Source: Forrester’s North American Technographics Empowerment Online Survey, Q4 2009 (US).

FIGURE 7-2

Web sites and services that information workers use

Base: 947 U.S., Canadian, and U.K. information workers who have used a service found on a Web site to help do their job (multiple responses accepted).

Source: Forrester’s Workforce Technographics US, Canada, UK Benchmark Survey, Q3 2009.

Why do workers use do-it-yourself technology? The most common reasons are that they are exposed to it at home, as a consumer, or that they need it

and the company doesn’t provide it (see figure 7-3). Many feel they have better technology at home than they do at work.

But if you real y want to know what’s driving this behavior, just listen to the people who are doing it. Here are some of the reasons the people in our

survey gave for using do-it-yourself technology in their jobs:

Because it is easier and faster than what is provided at work. And it gives better results.

Getting the job done requires multiple resources and to do my job to the best of my abilities I use al available resources.

The ones they prefer are slower, less organized, and hinder my performance, causing me to take longer to do simple tasks.

I am a physician and there are several sites that augment what is available for me through my employer. Having access to these sites improves my

ability to provide for my patients.

FIGURE 7-3

Employees use do-it-yourself technology because it solves problems

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