5 Ways to Maximize Your Employees’ Mobile Productivity
Virtually every employee today has a smartphone. Many also have tablets, such as iPads and Android devices. Most businesses are underutilizing these devices, because in most cases they belong to employees. These devices are BYOD, “bring your own device,” as they say.
Ignoring these devices is a mistake. Your hyper-connected employees are glued to their mobile devices, and savvy business owners and executives have realized the secret to higher employee productivity is embracing mobility and the BYOD trend. Find ways to help your staff work more, work smarter, and serve your clients better. The key is to empower the mobile experience of your staff, without compromising security and control of your corporate data.
Business-class file sync services can give you the best of both worlds: you can allow your corporate data to be synced to employee mobile devices, without giving up control of your corporate data. Here’s how:
- Sync to smartphones
Business-class cloud file sync services allow employees to sync their critical work files between their desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and the cloud. Your staff becomes more nimble and productive when they have their files at their fingertips, no matter where they go. Whether it is iOS, Android, or Windows Phone, business-class sync keeps users connected on the go. - Empower your employees with tablets
Tablet users today are usually your cutting edge staffers. More and more, everyday computing tasks once performed on laptops are now being done on iPads and Android tablets. Tablets are great for field-based staff, often sales professionals. Whether your staff is visiting a client or working a tradeshows, tablets are fantastic for demos, show and tell, and visual content to share with prospects and clients. Growth-oriented companies should encourage tablet use and help users leverage all of their files and corporate data, securely from their tablets. - Sync your file server
Mobile devices are the lifeline for remote employees. But it is easy to feel cut off from HQ if all the content, files, and data you need is stuck back on the corporate file server. Business-grade sync services allow you to cloud connect your file server and in turn sync the content to mobile users and other remote computers. On-the-go professionals are in sync with HQ and better able to serve clients and prospects in the field. - Don’t lose control
Leveraging employee mobile devices is not without risks. Data privacy and security has always been a balancing act. With BYOD, it is no different. But with business-grade sync services, you can connect employees with your corporate data without losing control of that information. Business-class services allow you to implement fine-grained controls on employee sync and share behavior. For instance, you could allow employees to sync to their iPhone and iPad, but not a remote Windows or Mac machine. You may also evolve your security policy over time, either loosening or strengthening your policies depending on the circumstances. The choice is yours. - Be ready when disaster strikes
No matter which security policies you implement, you need to be ready for when disasters strike. Everyday disasters are all too common, such as lost or stolen smartphones. With business-grade file sync, you can remotely wipe corporate data off of a lost device. In more serious situations, such as an employee termination, you are also ready. Remote wipe actions can be taken on a whole user account and across devices that were previously synced, eliminating corporate data from smartphones, tablets, and remote computers.
Balancing security and convenience is a necessary choice in today’s workplace. Fortunately, business-class file sync helps business owners and executives ride the mobility wave, while safeguarding corporate data.
Why You Must Proactively Address the Threat of Mobile Hacks
More cyber criminals are targeting small-to-medium sized businesses. One reason for this is too many workplaces have insufficient bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies in place. Some have none at all. Although firms are generally more knowledgeable about network security risks than in years past, they still woefully underestimate the security vulnerabilities linked to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.
This is a real cause for concern since data breaches have the ability to put many already financially challenged SMBs out of business.
If customer/client data has been breached, there could be potential litigation costs, and naturally, lost goodwill and an irreparable hit to brand or company reputation.
Don’t Just Say You’re Worried About the Bad Guys… Deal With Them
SMBs say they view network security as a major priority but their inaction when it comes to mobile devices paints a different picture. An April 2013 study found that only 16% of SMBs have a mobility policy in place.
Despite the fact that stolen devices are a major problem in today’s mobile workforce, only 37% of mobility policies enforced today have a clear protocol outlined for lost devices.
Even more troubling is the fact that those firms who have implemented mobility policies have initiated plans with some very obvious flaws.
Key components of a mobility policy such as personal device use, public Wi-Fi accessibility, and data transmission and storage are often omitted from many policies.
Thankfully, most SMB cybercrimes can be avoided with a comprehensive mobility policy and the help of mobile endpoint mobile device management services.
A Mobility Policy Is All About Acceptable/Unacceptable Behaviors
Your initial mobility policy doesn’t have to be all encompassing. There should be room for modifications, as things will evolve over time. Start small by laying some basic usage ground rules, defining acceptable devices and protocols for setting passwords for devices and downloading third-party apps. Define what data belongs to the company and how it’s to be edited, saved, and shared. Be sure to enforce these policies and detail the repercussions for abuse.
Features of Mobile Device Management Services
MDM services are available at an affordable cost. These services help IT managers identify and monitor the mobile devices accessing their network. This centralized management makes it easier to get each device configured for business access to securely share and update documents and content. MDM services proactively secure mobile devices by:
- Specifying password policy and enforcing encryption settings
- Detecting and restricting tampered devices
- Remotely locating, locking, and wiping out lost or stolen devices
- Removing corporate data from any system while leaving personal data intact
- Enabling real time diagnosis/resolution of device, user, or app issues
It’s important to realize that no one is immune to cybercrime. The ability to identify and combat imminent threats is critical and SMBs must be proactive in implementing solid practices that accomplish just that.