Work From Home (WFH) & Mobility Infrastructure Policy Bundle to Better Manage Remote Users
The increasing use and dependency on IT is drastically changing the way companies improve employee productivity and keep in closer contact with its customers. Today most businesses provide laptops to employees. The challenge comes with Smart Phones and tablets while bringing additional benefits. Employees who are accustomed to using these tools in their personal life are requesting (or demanding) to use the same tools at the workplace.
In addition to the influx of mobile devices, companies are dealing with increasing numbers of employees who are working from non-traditional office locations. Whether employees are traveling, working from customer sites, or working from home, there is a growing need to access corporate data while outside the walls of an office and the firewalls of an IT department. Some questions are raised.
Where should the focus be for mobility computing implementation? Supporting employees involves device management, the connection of those devices, and applications that support collaboration. While connecting with customers involves less focus on devices and more focus on applications and a support structure that addresses customer needs.
- Policies defined the rules of the road for mobile computing yet only one in five organizations have them defined and implemented. This lows rate of definition is driven by smaller to mid-sized firms as almost half of all large firms have mobility policies defined. The mobility policy template addresses all of the areas related to mobility: mobile devices (including procedures for lost devices), mobile applications including consideration for approved applications for business use), and data in mobile environments (including policy for using public WiFi networks).
- CIOs are looking into a wide range of devices. Most published data shows that the most capital expenditures are related to mobile devices - tablets (rising), laptops (declining), and Smart Phones (rising). A “post-laptop” era many not necessarily mean that laptops will disappear from the workplace. Rather Smart Phones and tablets can perform certain functions more efficiently than a laptop. Asides from communication, Smart Phones are mostly used for very light work, such as checking email or quick web browsing. Tablet users find a broader variety of applications, including note-taking and presentations. One implication is that CIOs will need to manage a suite of three devices for those workers who require flexibility in their computing options. Many CIOs are exploring mobile device management (MDM) tools, while others are adopting Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies by giving workers device stipends and transferring the liability and support away from the IT department.
- IT Help desks need to focus more of their resources handling mobile computing. Even though remote access is only available to one third of mobile workers and instant messaging is only available to one quarter, CIOs need to consider new technologies when providing support to workers who do not have ready access to in-person support options. Policies and performance metrics are a must.
- By definition, mobile devices are extending beyond corporate physical security controls and data on devices or transmitted over public WiFi networks is at risk. Security is a key concern for CIOs as they begin to implement mobile device solutions. Over two thirds of all CIO, according to Janco Associates, Inc., feel that security of mobile devices is the largest risk to deal with when building a mobility strategy.
- Lost or stolen device are the most common type of mobile security incident today. How many times have we heard in the media that an employee of a hardware vendor loses a device in a bar or cab before it is released? Add to this, unauthorized applications or malware targeted at mobile devices that do put corporate systems at risk.
8 Policies included in the full bundle are:
- BYOD Policy
- Mobile Device Policy
- Privacy Compliance Policy
- Record Management Retention and Destruction Policy
- Social Networking Policy
- Travel and Off site Meeting Policy
- WFH & Telecommuting Policy
- Wearable Device Policy
35 Forms including:
- BYOD Access and Use Agreement Form
- Company Asset Employee Control Log
- Enterprise Owned Equipment Form
- Mobile Device Access and Use Agreement Form
- Mobile Device Security and Compliance Checklist
- Privacy Policy Compliance Agreement
- Safety Checklist - Working at Alternative Location
- Social Networking Policy Compliance Agreement Form
- Telecommuting Work Agreement
17 Full Job Descriptions:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Chief Experience Officer
- Chief Mobility Officer
- Chief Security Officer
- Data Protection Officer
- Manager BYOD Support
- Manager Compliance
- Manager Record Administrator
- Manager Security and Workstations
- Manager Social Networking
- Manager Telecommuting
- Manager WFH Support
- BYOD Support Supervisor
- BYOD Support Specialist
- Record Management Coordinator
- Security Architect
- Social Media Specialist
