Three quarters of the Western European workforce will be mobile by 2018 and require the ability to access and process information quickly and securely in order to maintain and increase productivity, new research from IDC has found.

In addressing this changing environment, IDC states that smart multifunction printers (smart MFPs) need to provide the option to digitise documents while safeguarding sensitive company data against any threats or viruses by providing secure printing from mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. 

In order to manage the continued increase in mobility, organisations need to have control over how people work from their own personal (BYOD or ‘bring-your-own-device’) and business mobiles.

They must protect a company’s intellectual property while still allowing employees ‘anytime and anywhere’ access to maintain efficient working practices through the use of mobile print applications and configured data access, according to IDC.

>See also: In the era of the mobile workforce, why do we keep putting up with bad coverage?

In 2013, an IDC European usage study on print services market trends found that a third of companies allowed their employees to use their own personal smartphones, laptops and tablets.

When IDC asked SMBs about their opinions on business process efficiency, a high number agreed that they needed to improve their processes, with employee mobility being a strong driver in support of digitised processes.

Confirming the role of smart MFPs in the modern business workplace, a new IDC whitepaper points out: “Smart MFPs extend the utilisation of the device to a customisable digital transformation tool. They can act as a platform for growth by providing cost and time-efficient workflow solutions aligned with and in support of companies’ business objectives, such as improving compliance and security while supporting mobility and cost-cutting initiatives.”