Managing a mobile workforce
Mobile management in the workplace is still a relatively new development for businesses...
Recent research from Deloitte shows that 71% of enterprises are deploying apps and according to a recent enterprise mobility report from Accelerator 94% of enterprise leaders think that businesses will invest in connecting their mobile apps to their back-end systems. This just shows the importance businesses and organisations are placing on enterprise apps to help them transform their internal businesses processes.
Not only has there been an increase in businesses wanting internal mobile apps but there has also been dramatic growth in employees bringing their own devices into the workplace. A 2012 IDG Connect study found that over 60% of Europeans were using their iPads at work to gain work-related information. This BYOD movement has led to organisations needing a cross-platform system that will manage work-related data being accessed on personal devices.
The threat of data loss or theft is huge to any company, especially large corporations based internationally. A mobile management platform is an effective way to manage this risk.
Mubaloo, one of the UK’s leading app development companies, provides mobile consultancy in a number of different areas. One of these consultancy areas is guidance on what to look for in a good mobile management system. Features of different mobile management systems can be vast, so it’s essential that businesses decide on a system that is relevant and most suitable to their business requirements. It is important to choose a solution that shows signs that it is constantly evolving to keep up with the fast-paced and ever-changing mobile landscape.
Originally, Mobile Device Management (MDM) was the only solution for companies up until recently, but with the huge increase in enterprise apps and BYOD, businesses are looking for ways to manage not only their devices and their employees’ devices, but also the software running on them. Now many mobile management companies offer MDM and Mobile Application Management (MAM) solutions. Gartner recently reported that MDM companies are quickly adopting MAM and adding this solution to their list of services.
For the businesses that openly encourage BYOD, we will usually suggest a cross-platform management solution to make sure all platforms and operating systems are protected. If corporate liable devices are issued then a cross-platform solution might be necessary.
For businesses who offer corporate devices and have employees bringing their own devices into the workplace, there are flexible mobile management solutions. Managing the device as a whole is great for corporate devices but for those who have employees bringing in their own devices, there needs to be a balance between keeping corporate data safe and making sure personal employee data is left alone.
Application management allows businesses to have total ownership of all enterprise apps on an employee’s mobile device while leaving all personal data alone. This means that employees don’t have to be concerned about their personal photos or text messages being accessed by their employer!
MAM allows for the deletion of apps or groups of apps should an employee leave the company, as well as easy distribution of apps through dedicated enterprise app stores. This approach is best for BYOD companies. MDM is important for ensuring all mobile devices are performing to their expected specifications and configurations. This approach is most useful for companies who offer corporate devices to staff. Although there is a clear divide between the two solutions, many mobile management companies offer both of these. Some of the companies are moving beyond security to hosting, cloud services, tracking and the development of applications.