Last week, Galen Gruman wrote an interesting article on CIO.com about the state of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
“Although 2011 was the year that user-driven mobile device usage became the norm, its fallout and opportunities are just starting,” CIO.com states.
Gruman reminds us that some IT trends move fast, and BYOD is certainly one of them. In exactly 18 months, BYOD became mainstream. However, this fast uptake is not driven by businesses themselves. BYOD is in the first place a much debated topic because mobile users themselves are behind the driving wheel, at least regarding the uptake.
Are they at the driving wheel of BYOD as an IT and business priority as well? They are. However, so are IT teams and businesses that proactively solve all questions regarding BYOD (costs, security and even devices, with a preference for tablets among many IT managers) and motivate their employees properly.
BYOD and security
Gruman sees enormous potential for BYOD, but one of the main challenges is the choice of a proper partner. As he writes, it’s important to choose a partner who focuses on enabling the mobile workforce, instead of “promoting no.”
In the end, it is about productivity, while ensuring security without playing on fears.
Gruman: “…analysts tell me that employees are less likely to lose mobile devices they own, as well as the laptops they own. The fact is, the more you wrap mobile devices into security straitjackets, the less secure you are and the higher your costs go. And the less productive your employees are”.
More here. What do you think? Share your thoughts by commenting below or joining the conversation in the BT Let’s Talk LinkedIn Group.
Whitepaper: “The consumerisation of workplace technology”
The consumerisation of workplace technology
As well as delving into the issues raised by uncontrolled technology adoption, our new paper, “Living with the genie: The consumerisation of workplace technology“, gives detailed and practical guidance on how to channel the technology genie’s effects for your organisation’s benefit, rather than detriment.
The paper talks you through everything you need to consider when creating or updating a corporate mobile policy to the point where your mobile policy can function as efficiently as your company car policy.
