Todd Smith, Xerox
We’ve all heard it before, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is changing the workplace and many organizations are looking for ways to successfully implement a BYOD program. In this article from CMS Wire, they explore the BYOD trend and technology that is helping companies develop solutions. As stated in the article, 46 percent of firms are making it a priority to develop a BYOD program this year.
BYOD has many benefits, however there are also concerns including security. The importance of a BYOD strategy has led to the development of technology to help make these programs more manageable, secure and successful. In the article, they highlight technology that promises to help companies effectively design, manage, control employee access in a BYOD network and address employee adoption. This type of technology is a great way for companies to easily develop and implement safe BYOD solutions that allow employees to work securely from wherever.
One area that I think is overlooked in an overall BYOD strategy is the need for companies to secure printing capabilities. In the past, employees have been confined to working in the office and whenever they have to print documents they are able to get to the printer quickly to ensure their documents aren’t picked up by other employee. Since employees are working from the road, their home or coffee shops, companies must make sure that their printers have security features like passwords in order to release print jobs so that confidential data isn’t lost.
There is no way to get around the use of mobile devices in the workplace, so companies should make a concerted effort to embrace the trend and make sure their BYOD policies address all the areas of concern, especially security.
Has your company used added technology to develop and manage your BYOD policy? What do you think is the most important thing for an organization to remember when they are taking this leap?
