Norwegian employees want their own choice of mobile phone and computer equipment

22 september 2011 (Oslo, 22 September 2011) Employees of Norwegian companies are no longer content to let their employer decide which mobile phone and computer equipment they use for their work. In a survey carried out by Synovate for EDB ErgoGroup, 77% of respondents said that they would prefer to make their own choice of mobile phone for work rather than letting their employer decide for them. Around 60% of respondents said that they would like to make their own choice of PC and tablet device. "There is a clear trend for employees to expect to choose the equipment they use for their work, and they also want this equipment to be available for private use. It is now the case that employees are adopting new technology more quickly than their employers. This means that their private use of mobile phones, the internet and technical equipment is becoming a driving force for the technology used at work. This is a new phenomenon", comments Terje Mjøs, CEO of EDB ErgoGroup. Terje Mjøs believes that Norwegian employers should take these signals seriously, and points out that many employers will find it necessary to update their IT strategies in this area. "While Norwegian consumers are becoming ever more technologically mature, Norwegian businesses are proving slow to respond to this phenomenon", says Terje Mjøs. Almost 8 out of 10 Norwegians want to make their own choices As part of a survey commissioned by EDB ErgoGroup, Synovate asked Norwegian consumers for their views on choosing the mobile phone, IT equipment and technology they use at work. 77% of respondents said that they would prefer to make their own choice of mobile phone for work, while only 17% were happy for their employer to choose for them. 60% of respondents said that they would like to make their own choice of PC, with 34% leaving this to their employer. The equivalent figures for tablet devices were 57% and 29%. The categories with the highest preferences to make their own choices were male respondents, people with higher education and those under 40 years of age. Of the respondents who wanted to make their own choices, the most important reason given was the opportunity to choose an alternative that was suitable for their private use. In addition, many respondents felt that they understood what they needed better than their employer. Consumers take control at work "Consumers have now overtaken employers in terms of their ability and willingness to adopt new technology", says Terje Mjøs, who adds: "Almost everyone in Norway is on Facebook and other social media, people are using smart phones to talk to each other and communicate with the world, and they are using tablets rather than PCs to surf the net. It used to be the case that people learnt about new technology at work and took these skills home with them, but now it is their personal use of technology that is setting the pace and creating new expectations for technology in the workplace". In international circles this phenomenon is known as consumerisation, and according to the research firm Gartner it will represent one of the most important IT challenges for employers in the years ahead. Almost 30% believe that their employer is lagging behind in use of tablet devices, social media and smart phones The survey also identified a general view that employers were reasonably good at keeping up-to-date on technological developments for PCs, but many respondents felt that their employers were lagging well behind in making use of social media, tablet devices and smart phones. Between 25% and 30% of respondents said that their employers were poor or quite poor at keeping up with the pace of technological development in these areas seen in society at large. The equivalent figure for PCs was 15%. For further information, please contact: Terje Mjøs, CEO, EDB ErgoGroup. Tel: +47 06500 Torgeir Kristiansen, Information Director Corporate Communications, EDB ErgoGroup. Tel: +47 901 27 909 About EDB ErgoGroup EDB ErgoGroup ASA is one of the leading Nordic IT companies, with some 10,000 employees and annual turnover of NOK 12.4 billion. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and operates from headquarters in Oslo with major activities in both the Norwegian and Swedish markets. In all, the company operates from 135 offices in 16 countries around the world. This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: EDB ErgoGroup ASA via Thomson Reuters ONE [HUG#1548671]