Remember that old saying, “Never mix business with pleasure?” In today’s ever-connected society, our lives are consistently a mix of personal and business issues. No longer are there clearly defined work hours and personal time; therefore, we want our technology to be flexible and mirror this reality. After all, who wants to carry around two or three different mobile devices if you could have just one do the trick?
Statistics overwhelming support this phenomenon. According to Tech Pro Research’s latest survey, it’s obvious that the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement is booming, with 74 percent of organizations either currently using or planning to allow employees to bring their own devices to work. With the prevalence of BYOD assets in the workplace today, many organizations are forced to adapt — or potentially suffer the consequences.
Among those survey respondents currently ruling out the possibility of BYOD adoption, the primary reason cited was security concerns. And for good reason! Whether you allow employees to connect their mobile devices to company email or not, employees are finding ways to download emails, calendars and other company information without permission. In most cases, these individuals are just trying to do their jobs, but it creates a significant security concern for companies. Without a well-crafted BYOD policy in place, it leaves employees to their own devices, both literally and figuratively, when it comes to accessing important and, potentially sensitive, data.
EMM + MDUP
Don’t worry; regardless of your organization’s size, all hope is not lost. Today’s Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solutions, including AirWatch, MaaS360, MobileIron and others, have settings in place to solve your security issues. None of us wants our employer reading our personal email, looking at our apps or tracking our location. And wiping all data (including pictures) from employee smartphones by the IT Department sending an ActiveSync command to do so is a surefire way to create complete chaos among your staff. Instead, these EMM platforms allow users to have personal and company data on one mobile device while keeping the two types of information separated and protected. The EMM solutions also allow complete privacy for the individual without forcing the company to relinquish control of corporate data.
Each company also must develop a BYOD policy, also known as a Mobile Device Usage Policy (MDUP), that addresses BYOD assets. Your organization should outline what is allowed and how data will be secured, managed and wiped. You’ll want to make sure the policy covers and discusses personal emails, pictures and applications, while offering guidelines on texting and driving, taking photos of customers and other employees, and using social media. Finally, give practical instructions to employees for actions steps they can take when a device is lost, stolen or needs repair.
Our culture and mobile technology is changing. But with the proper policies and platforms in place, you can minimize risk while improving employee satisfaction. Call us today at 913.685.1475 for help developing your organization’s BYOD policy and enhancing your comprehensive mobile strategy.
