Four ways to get your business more mobile - and compliant

How to build an enterprise mobility strategy

Being a fully mobile business is about much more than giving your staff a laptop and smartphone and getting them to run (sometimes literally!) with it.

As more mobile devices become part of organisations’ IT infrastructures, how can IT keep control of devices, data and applications while giving users the freedoms they need to work in the modern world?

The reality is that a full enterprise mobility strategy is essential to ensure security, maximise staff productivity and minimise risk. To help, the MYREDFORT team have compiled four key ways to get your business more mobile.

Decide which mobile devices to support

With such a choice of devices on the market, there is no shortage of choice available. Deciding on your devices will depend to some extent on the applications you use, and whether you work on iOS or Android. Different departments and even users may prefer Mac or Windows, so you may also need to factor that in. Lastly, decide on your policies for Bring your Own Device (BYOD) to have a formal structure in place for supplementary devices. You will also need to have a plan for protecting data on BYOD devices.

Who owns the device?

With BYOD policies, clearly it’s the user that owns the device – or is it? Regardless of the device, you’ll need to be clear on security procedures for devices, especially if they are running applications or holding any sensitive customer data.

Other policies such as Choose your Own Device (CYOD) can empower employees but reduce the risk that can be associated with BOYD. CYOD also makes it clear to staff of their responsibilities and the need to be responsible with applications and data.

Be clear on responsibilities

Whichever policy you choose, ensure it is clearly communicated to your staff. Simply sending a long email to all staff isn’t likely to be adequate, so an internal communications campaign with posters and even a short explainer video could be considered.

Either way, it’s vital to lay out to your staff who is responsible for what, regulations that must be followed, consequences of non-compliance, and any outcomes for staff that don’t abide by the policy. This should include guidance on safe and unsafe WiFi networks to connect to, and the hidden risks of carrying out sensitive tasks or banking on public WiFi networks.

Managing your mobile enterprise

It’s essential to have an understanding of how you will manage your mobile business. With BYOD or other policies, it can quickly become difficult to keep track of what devices are running, what applications are resident on each, and a robust plan for updating applications. Failure to do so can mean essential security patches are missed, meaning loopholes for cybercriminals to exploit.