In the technology realm, nothing stays at a standstill. Bring your own device (BYOD) was a hot trend for enterprises in 2015, and it’s certainly not dying down or going away this year.In fact, a recent Tech Pro Research report found that 72% of organizations were allowing BYOD in the workplace or planning to do so in the near future. BYOD continues to thrive in workplaces all over the world, with the majority of companies allowing employees to bring in their personal devices to conduct business. Wearable devices and the “Internet of Things” (IoT) are also being thrown into the mix, making the topic of mobility and security a bit more complicated. But there’s no doubt that BYOD will continue to make waves in 2016 and take on exciting new avenues. Here are five possible ways that this policy will evolve in the new year.
1. BYOD will go from being a work perk to more of a business requirement.
The days of you begging to bring in your smartphone and tablet into the office will be long gone. In fact, companies will start requesting or even requiring employees to hook up their personal devices to do company work. Tech research and advisory firm Gartner predicts half of employers from all over the world will require BYOD by the end of 2016.More businesses of various sizes and industries are beginning to realize the many benefits of BYOD, such as remote working and greater flexibility. As more organizations start empowering their employees with mobility, the remote workforce will grow steadfastly. Also, smaller companies in their early stages will begin to experience real gains from BYOD.
2. The Internet of Things will dominate.
BYOD will no longer be confined to smartphones and tablets. The Internet of Things (IoT) – basically devices talking to devices – will continue to make strides in the mobile landscape. With the rising trend of wearables, personal sensors, and environmental monitors, innovative business leaders will figure out how to factor these into their company strategy.
3. Mobile device management will be needed.
As the complexity and scope of BYOD grows, the strategy and guidelines needed to manage mobile devices in the workplace will grow in accordance. Corporations will have to rely on experienced IT companies to plan out how they can handle the onset of BYOD and the influx of changes in the mobile market. IT departments will need to define mobile device guidelines and requirements for its uses and the best security policy for it.
4. Storage may be a growing problem.
This issue doesn’t necessarily concern storage limitations or costs, but rather where business-sensitive files end up. Do you ever recall a time when you saved a document locally only to later delete its contents entirely by accident, resulting in you being unable to find it?Centralized cloud storage and synchronization allows you to seamlessly access and save documents across various devices, both personal and corporate-owned. But setting the proper storage up requires a lot of forethought and planning by both users and IT departments. Managing more devices means keeping track of more locations and more opportunity for confusion and chaos. Luckily, using predictable settings and controls and following a secure mobile management policy can help you maintain the information on your devices more easily.
5. Security will be more of a challenge.
Lack of security is one of the biggest reasons why companies are not on board with BYOD. And their concern is a valid one. Firms that allow BYOD practices will have to work harder than ever with their IT department or tech provider to contain and regulate it.To put it simply, there are millions of devices out there that store and have access to sensitive corporate data. These precious devices can easily wind up in the hands of unauthorized individuals, leading to higher security risks. Although the benefits of BYOD have always resulted in a security tradeoff, this concern will only grow more prominent in 2016.To learn more about keeping your workforce up-to-date with the latest technology, contact i.t.NOW for a free consultation!
