Mobile devices are quickly becoming the primary communications and computing platform for businesses, and if employees are using a device they are familiar with (and that they love to use) it can certainly bring positive aspects to a company.

According to Gartner, 65% of businesses will adopt a mobile device management strategy for their employees and half of all employers will require their workers to supply their own devices for work purposes. In 2016, around 38 % of employers will stop providing devices to workers, the firm predicts. More businesses are allowing their staff to use their personal devices such as mobile phones, iPads and other tablet devices to access company data and email systems. This is known in the industry as ‘Bring your own device’ or BYOD for short.

The BYOD boom

“BYOD strategies are the most radical change to the economics and the culture of client computing in business in decades,” said David Willis, vice president at Gartner. “The benefits of BYOD include creating new mobile workforce opportunities, increasing employee satisfaction, and reducing or avoiding costs.”

Mobile devices can undoubtedly create more productivity, inside and outside of work. As well as productivity, BYOD also creates efficiency; this is due to the portability of the device which staff are able to access from anywhere.

Weighing up

Portable devices have fundamentally changed the way businesses operate, and whilst they do bring efficiency, productivity and cost savings into the workplace they have also (unfortunately) opened up some challenges. Smartphones and tablets used in the business can introduce cost, security risk, and usability challenges that many IT management tools cannot tackle. The challenge is minimizing risk to company data and standardizing use of our business processes. What happens if a mobile device is lost? What if the device does not have a secure password? How can the business keep control of its data? These are some questions that businesses are now facing and needing to address.

Therefore, a new management approach that addresses the risk is required; this is where Mobile Device Management (MDM) comes in. Smart Mobile Device Management (Smart MDM) does just that. It gives businesses the facility to configure, manage, control, report on, secure and track mobile devices.

So, how can a business deploy reliable mobile device management software, and what does it include?

What does Renaissance suggest?

1. Ensure a coherent mobile security system is utilized, especially for staff accessing emails

2. Change passwords regularly

3. Be cautious of unsecured Wi-Fi networks

4. Keep up-to-date with developments in technology

5. Regularly test your security measures