Enabling employees to work outside of the office base has become a mainstream practice that is becoming an increasingly important part of running any kind of business, according to a recent study.

Nokia and the Economist Intelligence Unit polled in excess of 500 international business bosses and discovered that around 75 per cent felt mobile working could offer improved customer service levels and help attract the most talented new employees to their company.

Furthermore, around 20 per cent of the workforce at over a third of companies is now mobile and operates outside of an office base for at least one day each week, the survey revealed.

Olivier Cognet, vice president of strategy and business development at Nokia’s enterprise solutions arm, remarked: "This research clearly demonstrates that business mobility has arrived and is viewed as a fundamental part of being competitive regardless of the industry."

"Now is the time to fully reap the far-reaching benefits that business mobility has to offer," he added.

Finland-based telecoms technology giant Nokia has operations around the world and announced the sale of its billionth mobile phone handset in 2005.