A new Forrester Research survey finds that IT shops are in the dark ages when it comes to providing the latest tech tools for their workers.

While handheld systems have taken the market overall, just 11 percent are used by IT workers on the job, according to the survey of more than 2,000 information workers. The survey suggests that smartphones are a perk for senior managers, not a tool for the workers.

The survey, reported in IDG.com, also found other surprising trends:

• Less than 25 percent of the workers surveyed use instant messaging, social networking and web conferencing tools.
• 10 percent of those surveyed use video conferencing tech at work.
• 15 percent report using social networks at work.
• Email and telephone calls remain the primary means of communicating, according to the survey.
• Desktops still dominate the work environment with three-quarters of respondents saying they still use these systems.

Ted Schadler, the Forrester analyst who conducted the survey, predicts Smartphone use will grow, and IT managers must make sure those users have mobile browser access to email and other corporate data.

"This is a must do," he told IDG.com. "If you are an enterprise architect, you ought to be figuring out how to do that now."

The Forrester survey shows that IT execs are not tapping the best tools for their workers, perhaps because of budget shortfalls or failure to keep up with what's out there for their workplace. Whatever the reason, they are likely to find the newer tools on the market will streamline the workflow and allow the IT workforce to meet its goals more easily.

For more on IT tech shortfalls:
- check out this IDG.com article

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