A mobile office is a temporary setup that allows a person to work as if they were in a permanent office. It has evolved to include worker mobility and the use of technology, reducing overhead costs and allowing for greater productivity and entrepreneurship.
A mobile office is a temporary or mobile setup of equipment and services that allows a person to function as if they were working from a permanent office. It allows workers to create a professional facade to insulate clients or customers from the transient nature of office operations. Alternatively, it provides basic office functionality in situations where permanent arrangements would be costly or unnecessary. New mobile technology has broadened the parameters of this type of office from a definition based primarily on the mobility of the office location to one that includes the mobility of the individual worker.
The profitability of the mobile office has changed the way the world does business. Traditionally, a mobile office was a temporary, mobile physical location. For example, contractors on construction sites often install mobile offices in trailers, trucks or RVs so they can conduct business for the duration of their time there. Disaster relief is another example of a temporary need for office functionality on a specific site. Films that run on location also make use of mobile office facilities.
This type of office has most of the trappings of a regular office with the caveat that it can be broken down or relocated when needed. Electricity and other utilities are routed to the site on a temporary basis. Much of the same type of furniture and equipment found in a permanent office would be used. What qualifies the office as mobile is the ability to move it at will rather than a particular mobility of the equipment used.
A more modern definition of a mobile office takes into account developments in mobile technology, increased use of the Internet, and the spread of web-based software that allows remote real-time collaboration. It is based on worker mobility and the concept of being able to work effectively from anywhere, as if sitting at a desk in an office building. This type of office uses a portable computing device, such as a laptop or tablet, a mobile phone, Internet access, and various virtual office and collaboration applications to make the worker appear as if they are working together with their mates in an office permanent rather than out in the field.
The way the mobile office has evolved in line with advances in technology has enabled companies to reduce the overhead costs associated with maintaining a desk or office for every employee. It has galvanized entrepreneurship by allowing small businesses to present a professional face without having to engage in long-term leasing of facilities and equipment. As the traditional mobile office building converges with the idea of an Internet-enabled or virtual office, businesses can achieve greater productivity and profitability while workers enjoy a more convenient and efficient work experience that doesn’t necessarily rely on the their relationship to work in a specific place.
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