The “consumerization” of communications devices — and the effects on your company’s communications — are undeniable. More and more people now work from their personal smartphone or iPad, a fact supported by a report from Flurry Analytics stating that the rate of adoption of Android and iOS devices is 10 times faster than that of PCs in the ’80s. And according to a recent report from research firm ABI, the market for tablets alone is predicted to reach 100 million shipments.

Need more proof that the enterprise mobility movement is here to stay? Per a recent IDC study, mobile workers will represent a third of the world’s workforce in 2013. Here’s how that is projected to break down across the globe:

What this means is simple: Any business not investing in an efficient enterprise mobile solution is being short-sighted at the least-or worse, falling behind the competition. Without the ability to support mobility, businesses will forever be in “catch-up mode” for maintaining peak performance and efficiency in an increasingly mobile business environment.

Solutions like Vertical’s ViewPoint Mobile application are a perfect example of a reliable and cost- effective way to extend enterprise communications across a mobile workforce. The key to maintaining a productive mobile workforce is not in the devices your employees use, it’s in effective access. ViewPoint Mobile delivers the same communications functions that keep your staff on-task at the office, no matter where they are or what devices they choose, along with the same level of security and control you have come to expect from your wired telecommunications system. And the application can be added with a simple software upgrade, at no extra cost to Wave IP users.

Mobility has quickly gone from an anomaly to a trend and is rapidly approaching status quo, with “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) solutions just as rapidly becoming the norm for businesses. So if you plan to sustain a competitive edge, don’t sit back and watch your mobile workforce dissolve into a hodgepodge of disparate mobile devices and capabilities. Ensure everyone stays connected wherever they are by extending the same powerful communications resources they’ve come to rely on in the office on whatever device they use outside of it. Your bottom line will thank you.

Steven J. De Korne is Vice President of Marketing for Vertical Communications and a 15-year telecommunications industry insider. A mobile maverick and e-gadget guru, follow Steven’s insights and opinions on tech trends and their impact on your business on www.vertical.com/blog.