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Mobility: A Top Priority for Building a More Productive Workforce

L a b T e c h

S o f t w a r e

W H I T E P A P E R

Mobility: A Top Priority for Building a More Productive Workforce

The increasing use and dependency on IT is drastically changing the way companies provide and support technology for their workforce, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the area of mobility. Though many businesses may already distribute laptops to employees, smartphones and tablets present additional challenges while bringing additional benefits. Employees who are accustomed to using these tools in their personal life are requesting (or demanding) to use the same tools at the workplace. In addition to the influx of mobile devices, companies are dealing with increasing numbers of employees who are working from non-traditional office locations. Whether employees are traveling, working from customer sites, or working from home, there is a growing need to access corporate data while outside the walls of an office and the firewalls of an IT department. A recent study of 500 end-users who utilize mobile devices, as well as IT staff who develop mobile solutions, was conducted to determine current behavior and issues related to the use of mobile devices. Based on the research, there are five important key points to consider:1

1. Different Objectives May Require Different Approaches

Top areas where companies currently focus their mobility efforts are support for employees in the field (25% heavy focus) and support for traveling employees (21% heavy focus). However, future interest in mobile solutions leans toward external applications: 14% of companies are interested in mobile commerce and 12% are interested in mobile connection with customers. Internal and external strategies have separate needs. Supporting employees will involve device management, the connection of those devices, and applications that support collaboration. Connecting with customers will involve less focus on devices and more focus on applications and a support structure that addresses customer needs. There is one area, though, that could potentially serve both segments. Twenty-two percent of companies showed interest in developing custom mobile applications. If software development is not a still present in-house, companies will look to a third party for mobile apps that connect to corporate systems or allow customers to interact.

2. Internally, Policies Can Help Define Proper Behavior in a Mobile World

Only 22% of all organizations in the survey have built a formal mobility policy. This number is significantly higher (42%) among larger firms, highlighting opportunity for education and assistance in building policy at small and medium-sized businesses. All areas related to mobility should be considered when establishing

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Mobility: A Top Priority for Building a More Productive Workforce

policy: mobile devices (including procedures for loss devices), mobile applications (including consideration for approved apps for business use), and data in mobile environments (including policy for using public wi-fi networks). Mobility policy may be driven by the IT department, but with employees exhibiting a strong desire to use the products and services they are familiar with, it would be wise to solicit input from several departments when crafting policy. This will help achieve a balance between the needs of the business and the needs of the users.

Company-Provided Mobile Technologies2

Laptops Available to most employees: 44% Available to some employees: 46% Smartphones Available to most employees: 34% Available to some employees: 47% Tablets Available to most employees: 6% Available to some employees: 33%

3. Companies are Experimenting with a Wide Range of Device Possibilities

Mobility studies, consistent with other research, show that the top purchase choices for businesses in the upcoming year are tablets, laptops, and smartphones. With laptops featuring prominently in purchase plans and shipment projections from market research firms, a post-PC era many not necessarily mean that laptops will disappear from the workplace.

It is still worthwhile to consider the implications of a post PC-era, in which smartphones and especially tablets can perform certain functions more efficiently than a laptop. Asides from communication, smartphones are mostly used for very light work, such as checking email or quick web browsing. Tablet users find a broader variety of applications, including note-taking and presentations. One implication of post-PC, then, is that companies will likely need to manage a suite of three devices for those workers who require flexibility in their computing options. Many companies are exploring mobile device management (MDM) tools, while others are adopting Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies by giving workers device stipends and transferring the liability and support away from the IT department.

4. IT Support will Need to Adapt to Handle Mobile Employees

The most popular options for mobile employees to receive IT support are telephone (70% availability) and email (55% availability). These options are most probably legacy strategies that were in place for all employees, with little modification needed to support employees out of the office. Mobile employees feel that these options are somewhat useful: 43% of those using phone support rate it very effective and 40% of those using email rate it very effective.

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Mobility: A Top Priority for Building a More Productive Workforce

In contrast, instant messaging is rated as very effective by 56% of its users, and remote access (such as LogMeIn or GoToMyPC) is rated very effective by 71% of its users. However, remote access is only available to 39% of mobile workers, and instant messaging is only available to 26%. IT departments and solution providers should be sure to consider new technologies when providing support to workers who do not have ready access to in-person support options.

5. Security is a Top Consideration of Organizations Building Mobile Solutions

Seventy percent of respondents to a recent survey conducted in IT departments say that security of mobile devices is the largest risk to deal with when building a mobility strategy. As there are many areas to consider in a mobility policy, there are many areas that must be secured. A lost or stolen device is the most common type of mobile security incident today, with 565 of the sample reporting this experience. Aside from this, unauthorized applications or malware targeted at mobile devices can bring harm to corporate systems. There is also the issue of data to consider. By definition, mobile devices are extending beyond corporate control, and data on devices or transmitted over public wi-fi networks may be at risk. IT staff currently take a variety of precautions, such as requiring passcodes or encrypting data on devices. They still feel that more advanced security techniques are needed. New innovations may provide better security; until those arrive, techniques such as mobile virtualization or curated app stores are worth exploring to mitigate risk in mobile strategies.

Summary
The workforce is changing drastically, further highlighting a demand for mobile solutions to streamline productivity. Especially in the IT services industry, employees who are required to travel heavily or are frequently on the field may gain significant productivity and levels of efficiency with the use of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. However, data security concerns must be addressed and a mobile device policy clearly defined to minimize liability and loss.
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Source: Trends in Enterprise Mobility, CompTIA, January 2012, http://www.comptia.org/members/research/allreports/ TrendsInEnterpriseMobility.aspx

1 2

Ibid.

About LabTech Software LabTech is the only managed services tool for remote monitoring, management, and automation developed by a Managed Service Provider (MSP) for MSPs. Their affordable, agent-based solution so closely emulates what technicians do in the field that the techs can provide the same support remotely. Because LabTech Software understands how to manage a growing MSP business, they make it easier to procure their software and allow partners to add agents as they grow. For more information, please visit www.labtechsoftware.com.

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