Employees are increasingly using their own apps at work but companies are also beginning to see the benefits and issuing official apps, whether proprietary, branded or purchased, according to research by ORM London.

The Appy Office report surveyed 150 marketing decision makers in UK businesses. 47 per cent of those surveyed had issued official customised apps, 38 per cent Tablet apps, and 43 per cent mobile apps. The research also found that 74 per cent of marketing decision makers believe apps will be commonplace in the next three years.

“As employees use increasingly sophisticated apps in their personal lives they’re starting to see the benefit that they could have in their working lives,” says Peter Gough, founding partner, ORM London. “Businesses are responding to this by creating apps that make their workforce more efficient on the move providing easier access to information, as well as carrying out functions like point-of-sale and inventory management.”

The most common app types used in businesses are database apps (53 per cent); marketing and marketing measurement apps (51 per cent); event apps (46 per cent); and communications/messaging apps (44 per cent).