Of all the issues that companies face, the issues of mobility and BYOD are certainly not the easiest to resolve. On one hand, you have employees who would rather carry a single device for both business and personal use. Initially, notes a recent article from betanews, this might seem like a win-win. Employees get a device that they’re familiar and satisfied with, and the employer avoids the costs associated with providing devices to employees.
But what about the security of business data on an employee’s personal device? What happens if the employee’s device is stolen? What about compatibility issues between the employee’s device of choice and the apps needed for mobile business solutions? What happens if an update on a certain device struggles with the apps needed for business?
As stated, it’s not a simple issue. Some companies, the article stated, are turning away from BYOD and to the concept of CYOD — Choose Your Own Device. With this concept, employees are offered a selection of company-owned and configured devices. While they don’t have as much choice as they would with their own devices, they still have some choice. And further, they don’t have to pay for their own device. Businesses have the benefit of a smaller number of devices to work with and control over the security as well as the types of activities the device is used for.
This is just one of the potential mobility and BYOD solutions, however. There are many more possibilities, including Application Wrapping, Mobile Application Management, and Mobile Content Management. Which solution would work best for your company is something that depends on a variety of factors. One thing is for certain though: If your employees are demanding BYOD, it is crucial that you have a policy in place to deal with it.
We here at GeekTek IT Services would love to talk to you more about your mobility and BYOD possibilities to help you implement a solution for your Los Angeles based small or medium-sized business. For more information, contact us.