Flexibility and web apps: the work revolution

April 16, 2015 - PRLog -- Hong Kong – With a growing number of professionals working outside the main office at least some of the time, the use of remote working tools has also radically increased. In fact, a staggering 86% of workers had used at least one tool enabling remote working in the previous month, according to a survey of over 44,000 senior business people across more than 100 countries, including 365 respondents from Hong Kong, by global workplace provider Regus.

Respondents globally also highlighted that the needs of remote workers are strongly driving the take up of ‘cloud’ applications that provide them with cost-effective access to office tools wherever they are (85%).

Online tools are also helping to ease some of the other pains traditionally associated with remote working, especially through the proliferation of efficient and secure document sharing services. The research shows that Dropbox is the most commonly used online file-sharing service, used by 56% of respondents, followed by Google Drive (43%) and TeamViewer (25%). In the Greater China region, the Hong Kong findings are aligned with the global results.  However, the findings in Mainland China and Taiwan are different. In Mainland China, Microsoft remote desktop is the most commonly used online file-sharing service and Google Drive is the most used in Taiwan.

Another challenge remote workers face is that of getting overlooked when they are not in the office. However, Instant Messaging tools and VoIP are revolutionizing the way workers communicate and helping remote workers to show they are available, connected and immediately responsive. The research found that the most popular VoIP Messaging application among the surveyed markets was Skype, used by 60% of respondents in the previous month. It was followed by Facebook Messenger (48%) and Viber (13%).

The findings in Asia are different from their counterparts in the West. Although Skype is also popular in the East, each market has its own preferred Instant Messaging tool. In Hong Kong, the most popular tool is WhatsApp (93%), followed by Skype (63.3%) and Facebook Messenger (61.7%); in Taiwan and Japan, LINE is the most popular tool, scoring 91% and 66% respectively; in Mainland China, it is WeChat (95%); and in Korea, it is Kakaotalk (76%).

Other key findings reveal the reach and influence of online tools in the work environment:

WhatsApp is currently by far the most popular Instant Messaging app for smartphones, used by 54% of workers once a month or more;
 Just 10% of those questioned said they had not used an instant messaging tool in the past month;
Microsoft remote desktop is the most popular remote desktop globally (19%);
11% of respondents had used WeChat in the previous month.

“With more businesses offering staff the opportunity to work remotely, at least occasionally, online tools are helping to overcome some of the hurdles traditionally associated with working from outside of the office. From feeling out of touch with colleagues, to being unable to access documents on the company server, technology is bridging the gap,” said Michael Ormiston, Country Manager, Regus Hong Kong.

“The growth in instant messaging applications and document-sharing services in particular is playing an enormous role in helping more people to work flexibly, by enabling more reliable and secure ways of communicating with colleagues and sharing files, from wherever people may be working. This means that they can be fully operative even when they are not in the office and in fact, they can save time spent travelling into the office or to and from meetings by working closer to home and so boost productivity.”

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About Regus

Regus is the global workplace provider.

Its network of more than 2,300 locations in 850 cities and 104 countries provides convenient, high-quality, fully serviced spaces for people to work, whether for a few minutes or a few years. Companies like Google, Toshiba and GlaxoSmithKline choose Regus so that they can work flexibly and make their businesses more successful.

The key to flexible working is convenience and so Regus is opening wherever its 2.1 million members want support - city centres, suburban districts, shopping centres and retail outlets, railway stations, motorway service stations and even community centres.

Founded in Brussels, Belgium, in 1989, Regus is based in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit: www.regus.com