Consumerization of IT: Have your cake and eat it too
We can probably all agree by this point that smartphones have been good for business. And not just smartphones – tablets, Facebook, Twitter – all those technologies we like to use during our lunch breaks or when vegging out of the couch have also proven beneficial, in one way or another, in the workplace.
Now more than ever, companies are letting people take their personal devices to work or surf social networks in the office – a trend that’s often referred to as “consumerization of IT.” A more accurate title, though, may be “causing frustration for IT.” While employees and executives may appreciate the consumerization, it can create serious headaches for the IT departments that have to account for them.
On one hand, using a tablet or a smartphone for work-related tasks can boost productivity by allowing employees to take their work virtually anywhere with an internet connection. On the other, these devices can be easily misplaced, lost, stolen or otherwise damaged; putting sensitive company information in jeopardy should they fall into the wrong hands.
A recent poll from Osterman Research found that 84% of surveyed organizations are now allowing employees to use consumer technology in the workplace. At the same time, businesses have taken several approaches to ensure employees aren’t misusing the consumerized IT.
Basically, consumerized IT security breaks down into three categories: trust, policy and technology. 11% of respondents indicated they simply rely on the employees to make the right calls. While this certainly sounds nice in theory, we all know that even the most careful employee is prone to mishaps from time to time – whether accidental or otherwise.
Perhaps the best approach is a combination of the three. Policies must be in place to dictate how devices are expected to be used. Trust must be put in the employees to adhere to the policies. And technology must be put in place as a fail-safe. This may include any number of approaches, such as data encryption, remote locking and wiping, among others.
In a recent article for Network World, Jim Metzler opined that the greatest threat to data security is careless errors (OK, he actually said “stupid people,” but that’s a bit harsh). With this in mind, taking every precaution necessary to protect company information is key – a task that can be accomplished without sacrificing productivity – or employee access to Angry Birds.
