How Your Business Can Become More Mobile

Eliminating “dead time,” periods of the day where employees are unable to do anything productive, should be a number one priority for any kind of business. One of the primary ways we can do this is to embrace the flux of portable computers, be it laptops, tablets, or smartphones, that are now available. This make it possible to get meaningful work done wherever you are, but they aren’t without fault. Here’s what you need to know.

Tackling Additional Expenses

Most businesses are now used to setting aside a part of their budget for desktop PCs, but having to also account for portable devices could have a major impact on SMBs working on a strict budget. Unlike desktop computers, you aren't able to upgrade the components in portable devices as easily and, in the case of smartphones, many people expect a new device every year. One of the ways businesses are tackling this issue is by adopting BYOD - bring your own device - schemes. The BYOD market is currently flourishing, and is expected to be worth $284 billion by 2019.

How Does BYOD Work?

BYOD encourages employees to work on the devices they choose, whether it be a Windows or OS X-based laptop or an Android or iOS-based smartphone. As well as saving the business owner money, another one of the chief benefits of this is that it improves employee satisfaction: members of staff are no longer burdened by a device that they don’t like using. However, having to factor in all of these different kinds of devices can be a nightmare for your I.T. department, who were previously only use to managing your employees on Windows-based systems. This has led many to believe that BYOD-led initiatives can’t possibly be safe.

Improving Security with BYOD

While it’s true that BYOD schemes can cause problems, it’s equally inaccurate to say that they’re inherently problematic. In order to more effectively enforce security protocols, you may have to restrict your employees to using certain devices, such as those that are installed with the latest version of the OS, as well as investing in additional training programs to ensure that your staff know the risks of using mobile devices in corporate environments. You can download this PDF from specialists Logicalis to get a better idea about what is required to create a seamless mobile experience for your employees.