Gartner estimates that 70% of mobile professionals will conduct their work on personal smart devices by 2018.
Pretty impressive prediction, right? So what does that mean for the modern enterprise?
Lets see if this logic makes sense (because we see this happening)… More and more people adopt smartphone devices by the day, which means more and more people have advanced computers inside their pocket. As this trend continues, busy working professionals are using these devices for both personal and professional utilities. And, because of this dual use, enterprises are becoming more and more concerned about the security of these devices. The fear behind lost devices, unprotected data, malware, virus introduction, etc., can be paralyzing to the advancement of technology in enterprise organizations.
However, given almost inevitable and pervasive adoption of iPhone and Android devices (ok, fine… Windows and Blackberry too), there are ways to embrace the growth in enterprise applications, yet remain confident in their security. In September, a NetworkWorld.com article entitled “The 10 most common mobile security problems and how you can fight them” provides some ways to stay ahead of security risks. Staying current with recent technological advancements and maintaining a secure network can be a fine balance at times.
The enterprise mobile workforce operates on the fly and has additional pressure to perform in the moment, regardless of their connectivity or signal strength. Despite the aforementioned security concerns, these workers need the speed and ease of “consumerized” mobile applications. The benefits of enabling your workforce through their mobile device far outweigh the downside security risk.
CIO recently posted an article entitled “How to avoid BYOD disasters”, which also outlines a series of nightmare scenarios. More importantly, it provides some ideas for successfully navigating these waters during strategy talks. So you see, there are ways to make it all work!
As the rise in mobile technology becomes married to the consistent mobile workflow, it is imperative that enterprise organizations take the necessary steps to ensure security. Confronting these concerns during the formation of a mobile strategy will allow your enterprise to adopt the best mobile practices and move forward fearlessly. If you’ve got more questions, maybe we can help… just let us know!
