Report: 'Healthy growth' expected in number of mobile workers

Some 37 percent of the world's workforce, about 1.3 million people, will be mobile by 2015, new research finds, with the bulk of new mobile workers coming from the APAC region.

The International Data Corporation study said the Americas will experience a slower growth rate due to lingering economic woes and higher rates of unemployment. Nonetheless, the region, which includes the United States, Canada and Latin America, will see its mobile workforce grow from 182.5 million in 2010 to 212.1 million in 2015. Some 75 percent of those mobile regions will be in North America.

About 1 billion people are currently considered part of the mobile workforce.

"Mobility continues to be a critical part of the global workforce, and we expect to see healthy growth in the number of mobile workers," said Stacy Crook, senior research analyst for IDC.

The study said APAC, excluding Japan, will see the number of mobile workers grow to 838.7 million in 2015, from 601.7 million mobile workers in 2010. Strong economic growth in China and India, as well as large population numbers, are the key drivers there.

The EMEA region will see its mobile workforce grow at a CAGR of 5.6 percent, the study said.

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