• by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, April 27, 2016

From ad agencies to auto dealerships, has a mobile-first approach become the mark of a successful business?

Well, new research from The Economist Intelligence Unit shows that a strong mobile strategy assists employees in unlocking their full potential.

Indeed, companies rated by their employees as “pioneers” in how they support mobile technology saw a rise in productivity (16%), creativity (18%), satisfaction (23%), and loyalty (21%), when compared to organizations that were poorly rated at supporting mobile technology.

Among 1,865 respondents, 60% said mobile technology makes them more productive, while 45% said it contributed to more creativity.

The great thing about mobile appears to be its, um, mobility. Yes, respondents said the ability to work anytime, anywhere provided the single-biggest boost to their productivity and overall satisfaction, the EUI found.

“Think about downtime at the airport or on the train,” Kevin Melton, sales and marketing director at medical insurance provider AXA PPP International, told the researchers. “There’s not much dead time now.”

Respondents also said ability to access information quickly and easily via mobile had a big impact on their productivity levels.

Meanwhile, they said the ability to collaborate more easily through mobile was the most important factor affecting their creativity.

Also contributing to creativity levels is the fact that mobile allows employees to move around freely -- even it it’s just inside their office.

Also of note, the EIU found that respondents’ age was not a factor in how mobile technology impacted their performance and engagement.