Most Information Workers Willing to Pay for Their Own Work Technology

A recent online poll conducted by information technology company Unisys (News - Alert) indicated that a large number of information workers nowadays are amenable to paying for at least part of the cost of productivity-enhancing technology for work.

The 141 respondents to the survey answered the question “What percentage of the cost of your job’s IT tools would you be willing to fund if you had the freedom to choose what you could use?” 21 percent  said they would cover up to 30 percent  of the cost; another  21 percent claimed they would pay for up to 50 percent  of the cost; and 32 percent  would cover the full cost.

The findings of this recent poll reinforce the findings from recent research regarding the “Consumerization of IT”, conducted by global market intelligence firm International Data Corp. (IDC (News - Alert)) and sponsored by Unisys. Said research, which surveyed 2,820 information workers across 10 countries, determined that a great many corporate employees are willing to purchase their own technology for use in the workplace.

For instance, 95 percent of respondents to this study said that they utilize at least one device bought with personal funds at work. However, 26 percent  saw such purchases as the responsibility of their employers and as such would not cover any such expenditures personally, and in the second phase of the “Consumerization of IT” study, 70 percent  of employers surveyed said that they would continue to both pay for employee devices for work, as well as business-related charges.

Sam Gross, vice president, Global IT Outsourcing Solutions, Unisys, said that employers who refuse to allow willing staff to purchase and use technology of their own for the workplace may be missing out on an excellent opportunity to mobilize these people.

Gross said that both surveys indicate that the traditional days of company-supplied equipment were on the wane, and that IT organizations must consider allowing their workers to allow employees to choose and buy the solutions they themselves are most comfortable with in order to allow them to perform at their best.