Mobility in the workforce is increasing productivity and driving savings for small to medium sized companies. Recent research from the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) uncovers 73% of small businesses surveyed cite they have a mobile device strategy driven by moderate to heavy focus for Mobility to make employees in the field more productive. Moreover, 58% of respondents have productivity gains for travelling employees as a moderate to heavy focus to include smart phones, tablet PCs and laptop computers in their businesses. Connecting employees with customers was cited as a moderate to heavy focus for driving Mobility strategies by 55% of those surveyed, while 48% cited eCommerce as a moderate to heavy focus in their Mobility strategies.

To take full advantage of smart phones, tablet PCs and laptop computers in your company, there are a few precautions to consider when rolling out a mobile solution. Here are a few tips to consider to get the most from your Mobility solution:

Check your Mobile Security Policy

Some mobile devices may be vulnerable to trojans, malware and phishing schemes. Ensure that your Mobile Solution includes security measures to keep devices connected to your network, corporate applications and data are up to date with mobile anti-virus and mobile-anti malware protection. Passwords aren’t enough to protect your devices, therefore, companies must also encrypt corporate data on mobile devices and be prepared to remotely locate and wipe lost or stolen mobile devices.

Check your Network Bandwidth for your Mobility Solution

Some mobile applications can put a strain on your companies wireless network. To receive maximum productivity from your employees using mobile devices in the workplace, provide secure and robust wireless access. Monitor your network for performance, but also monitor your network for unauthorized access.

Train your employees on your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy

Your employees may access corporate systems or have corporate data on their mobile devices if you have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. If your company provides a corporate owned mobile device, your employees may put personal data (e.g. photos, contacts) on your company owned assets. Regardless, establish an acceptable use policy within your business and train your employees the importance of compliance. Clarify if personal data can be stored on company owned mobile assets. Also, clarify if company data can be stored on personal assets. Train your employees on the risks associated with lost or stolen devices and make sure they understand the importance of reporting a loss or data breach, as soon as possible.

There are many aspects to getting the most from your Mobility solution. Ensuring that you provide your employees with secure, robust access to your approved systems and application data is key. Training your employees on your written policies is also important to ensure compliance with your mobile solution policies. Contact your IT Solutions expert for a network security assessment or review of your IT security policies.

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