Mobile productivity: Too much of a good thing?

Mobile device use among feds continues to increase, and these devices are becoming critical to mission success, according to a new study. But the increased connectivity may have its downsides.

Results from the study, which polled 300 feds from various civilian and defense agencies, were discussed July 9 at the Federal Mobile Computing Summit. The research was conducted by FierceGovernmentIT and Market Connections and published by FierceGovernmentIT.

Of those feds surveyed, 82 percent felt mobile devices were critical to employees carrying out agency missions, and 81 percent said mobile devices increased productivity. Notably, 63 percent of feds said they are working more at home or after-hours because of their mobile devices – work they otherwise would have left until the next available business day.

"Mobile device use has definitely increased, and the way government employees consume information is changing, largely driven by the use of mobile devices to access the Internet," said Monica Mayk Parham of Market Connections.

On average, feds reported three extra hours of productivity per week due to using either their own or government-issued devices, with more than half of those surveyed claiming an additional five hours of weekly device-driven productivity.

While the most popular mobile devices continue to be smart phones, Parham said tablets have gained significant ground in 2013. Tablets are now used by 60 percent of federal employees, doubling in popularity among the federal community since 2012.

"Doubling in the span of a year is very significant," Parham said.

Parham said the survey shows that feds care about what device they are using. About 78 percent of feds use a smart phone as their own mobile device, but 92 percent believe employees are "significantly more productive" by using a smart phone and tablet.

"We tend to think of mobile devices as transparent to users," Parham said. "The device does matter."

Interestingly, some feds in attendance at the Federal Mobile Computing Summit voiced concern over increased hours of productivity, claiming that mobile device use could lead to labor law violations if certain federal employees overextend themselves in the work place or working from home. Others reported mandates from agencies that employees are not to use their mobile work devices during furloughs.

And one government employee who did not identify himself said that mobile devices were getting to be a distraction in his agency. He said individuals attending staff meetings often did so with their mobile devices in hand, consumed by whatever text-message conversations or Internet surfing they were doing.

"It can be a time waster if you have a meeting," and then have to have another meeting because everyone was too busy playing on their mobile devices, the man said.