Many companies now see the Internet of Things (IoT) as the biggest management issue for staff at all levels.
With the recent rise in the popularity of wearable technology, MDM (mobile device management) services for IT departments are becoming more complex than ever, and this is only the beginning.
As well as introducing new kit, IT managers have to consider how they should apply a range of new IoT philosophies and policies including CYOD (choose your own device), COTS (commercial off the shelf), MBYOD (managed bring your own device), COPE (company-issued, personally enabled), BYOA (bring your own app), BYOP (bring your own phone), BYOPC (bring your own PC) and BYOD (bring your own device). These are all changing the way companies work, and how staff in these companies use technology in their working lives.
The problem is aggravated by the way IoT is going through a rapid metamorphosis. The IoT will begin to divide into specific categories:
Infrastructure IoT Water systems, mining, streetlight networks, smart city networks, energy networks, transport systems, environment and disaster monitoring, public safety, airports and building management.
Wearables/consumer IoT Apple iWatch and HomeKit, FitBit, Google Glass.
Enterprise IoT Connecting business systems, customer support, logistics, asset-tracking systems.
The new ways of working triggered by the IoT are sure to change the way we manage our day-to-day workload.
A new way of working
‘Bring your own device’ (BYOD), also called ‘bring your own technology’ (BYOT), is a not-so-new trend that lets employees bring their own mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops to their workplace.
This policy changes the relationship between user and technology in organisations. It is no secret that a lot of people prefer to use their own mobile devices to perform professional activities in their companies. After all, who wants to carry two phones?
Mobile devices have the advantage of already being customised with a range of the employee’s choices of operating system or e-mail manager. These personal devices are already set-up with applications and services that employees are comfortable with. Consequently their interaction with technology becomes seamless, saving precious time – and time is money – whereas a computer provided by the company has to be adapted.
Helping organisations reach quality goals
But what does it mean for organisations and their IT departments? Is it advantageous to encourage employees to bring their own devices?
If you own a company at which people work in all sort of remote regions and they rarely visit your headquarters, then you should create a mobile-driven environment and this naturally adapts to the benefits of the BYOD trend.
In industries such as construction, Voltimum is a big believer of BYOD. The current trends towards a greater use of integrated information systems demand more innovative and dynamic ways of working. BYOD can help construction firms reduce costs by letting staff work on the move. The use of mobile devices can be transformational; instead of spending hours travelling to a distant office to update systems, employees can input corporate information from any location, saving on time and travel costs.
Project leaders can walk to a job site with no warning, with a tablet, and define everything needed for the job including labour, tools and equipment. The leader can quickly distribute the information to all the groups who are responsible for supplying the job site – purchasing agents, tools manager and equipment.
Employees are capable of updating costs and other information in real time on their own devices, creating a single and complete view of the project. This creates a complete story of what happened at each stage and how much was spent, so the process of resolving disputes and facilitating earlier payments can be sped up considerably.
With BYOD there is a real sense of real-time decision making. The BYOD trend will change the day-to-day building trade.
Often the employee can bring even more skilled resources than the company offers. It is advantageous for the company to implement BYOD as it reduces expenditure on purchases and upgrades of equipment and applications. Companies can rely on the employees’ self-sufficient ability to maintain and preserve their own devices. Employees are capable of working and have access to their documents not just anywhere but at any time, including hours outside of the 9-5 timeframe.
BYOD demons and evils
Are you wondering why your company hasn’t implemented BYOD yet? Well, it’s because of you. There is a cultural expectation in play. As an employee you expect your employer to provide all of the equipment you need to do your job.
Another reason is the set of rules associated with BYOD (for companies clever enough to implement them). When employees are confronted with BYOD policies asking them to depart from their expectation of privacy or give up space on their personal devices for the BYOD management software, employees – funnily enough – become a little less interested.
There is also the risk of data exposure when it is stored on mobile devices. Two thousand smartphones are pinched every day and the personal information on the phones is often sold on to identity thieves. In these cases, what are the implications for the company and for the employee if passwords or important information that was stored on the device were obtained by strangers?
Surely, not having to spend money on equipment is a significant enough benefit from the BYOD trend? However this does not necessarily mean savings for the company. The company must still spend money on technical support to connect the new devices to the existing platforms. BYOD also presents a number of tests for IT departments. One must consider the diversity and complexity of the technologies and that the IT personnel will need to support this. Not to mention the odd staff member using a gadget with a less popular operating system.
A new stumbling block for this trend is the recent IBM-Apple partnership, in which IBM will streamline the iOS device companies and unique applications for vertical industries. More Apple devices will end up on a list of CYOD – choose your own device, an alternative to BYOD that is growing in popularity in Europe. This CYOD list will force employees to choose from a limited number of devices but it will bring the responsibility back to the IT department. Luckily enough, end-users want to use Apple products at work. If your employer gives you a brand new iPhone as a result of this joint sale of Apple and IBM, why would you want to bring your own?
Who is playing the game?
According to a study by IDC Europe, almost half of CIOs in Europe have not yet adopted the BYOD trend, and they are unlikely to change their minds any time soon. In fact, they may have less desire to undertake BYOD in the light of the recent IBM-Apple partnership. BYOD took off largely in the US and, for a while, looked like it would be fashionable in Europe too, but seemingly European officials do not like BYOD as much as US workers.
Armed with statistics, IDC states that the adoption of BYOD in Europe is slowing. In 2013 the IDC surveyed European companies on their BYOD plans. The results showed that 26 per cent had a formal policy on BYOD, 31 per cent predicted its creation and 44 per cent were not planning to do it at all in the next 18 months. Flash forward to the same questions asked this year: 36 per cent had a formal policy on BYOD, 23 per cent foresaw its inception, and 41 per cent had no plans for the next 18 months.
Companies that wished to adopt BYOD are progressing with their plans, but the group with no intention of adopting BYOD remains largely intact. In other words, European CIOs are not convinced by the BYOD trend. BYOD adoption has reached a plateau.
Future-proofing
Preventing employees from using their own cell phones and computers at work is no longer possible. BYOD is a reality. Whether companies embrace this trend or stubbornly decide to ignore it, sooner or later companies will be forced to accept it.
BYOD is making significant inroads in the business world, with about 75 per cent of employees in high-growth markets such as Brazil and Russia and 44 per cent in developed markets already using their own technology at work. As we become one global business, the UK will soon have to suppress its BYOD fears – or else.
As mobile devices are fast becoming the primary tool for accessing systems and data, it is necessary for IT departments to conduct studies before implementing BYOD. Aspects such as access to the company’s network and the storage of files with important data and passwords, among others, pose a risk to the organisation and have to be analysed.
As a company, you are on the right path by defining an IT planning strategy to explore the positive aspects of the BYOD movement. It’s certainly better than just prohibiting or ignoring this current reality. It is important to raise awareness among employees who use personal devices. However they must follow the company’s policies while at work, even when using their own equipment.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section.
Soraia Antunes
