It is becoming apparent that the new trends in IT are leading to a completely new approach for businesses. In the case of mobility, having a wide range of options for front-end devices is changing the mindset around device management and workflow structure.
Smartphones and tablets are transforming the device landscape and driving much of the initial discussion around enterprise mobility. Year-over-year declines in PC shipments suggest that PCs are becoming less relevant, but that is within a context where PCs are no longer the dominant option. Especially for businesses, PCs remain viable options along with smartphones and tablets, and companies must decide how to handle all three.
Fifty-five percent of U.S. firms practice some form of BYOD, with the majority of those still providing some devices while allowing employees supply their own as well. Among companies that provide devices, 76 percent provide smartphones and 61 percent provide tablets, showing that three devices per employee is quickly becoming the norm. With new operating systems to support and less ability to configure devices for corporate use, mobile device management (MDM) and new security techniques such as app containerization are top of mind for many firms.
To fully tap into mobility’s potential though, companies must begin building policies and changing workflow to account for the technology. Only 30 percent of companies currently have a formal mobility policy, and just 8 percent have performed significant workflow change as a result of mobility. By addressing these areas using a broad, company-wide approach, companies can build an understanding of business needs and agree on solutions to potential hurdles.
The largest of those hurdles, surprisingly, is still the skill level of the general population when dealing with mobile devices. Although these devices get used heavily in employees’ personal lives, there are enterprise aspects such as encryption or proper settings that require further education. Mobility offers tremendous benefits in productivity and flexibility, but adopting the technology will require education and expertise in building out appropriate solutions.
CompTIA’s 3rd Annual Trends in Enterprise Mobility study is based on an online survey conducted in March 2014 of 400 technology or business professionals (end-users) in the U.S. and 250 end-users in the UK. The complete report is available at no cost to CompTIA members who can access the file at www.CompTIA.org or by contacting research@comptia.org.
