Mobile offices becoming more prevalent

Businesses are overhauling many of their IT protocols in light of the increasing popularity of Bring Your Own Device initiatives.

A recent study commissioned by a leading networking solutions company showed that employees who do not have tablets issued by their employer often opt to use their own, increasing technology in the workplace and spurring the need for sophisticated mobile device management.

Many IT departments are now requiring employees to fill out forms if they are going to use their personal mobile devices for business purposes, but the process to gain authorization is much quicker and often paperless now. With the emergence of tablets and smartphones, the days of having to carry bulky laptops could soon be over, and efficiency at work is increasing in some offices as a result of the changes.

“Mobile workers and virtual workspaces are here to stay - but so are the demands on IT to continue to ensure enterprise-grade security, manageability and interoperability," said Tom Puorro, director of product management at a major tech company. "2012 promises to be an exciting year and IT leaders are a critical component in unleashing innovation and enabling organizations to take advantage of the next wave of business growth and opportunity."

The report also revealed that employers are beginning to prefer tablets more than smartphones in an attempt to quantify market patterns. The global IT survey showed that IT professionals average one tablet request for every three smartphones.

Despite sources reporting that IT departments are in favor of getting rid of BYOD practices due to security concerns, another recent report by a leading technology solutions company showed that IT departments are in favor of the new policies.

The survey revealed that top business executives are primarily in favor of BYOD insofar as it increases operational efficiency and not because it attracts a younger, technologically adept workforce, though that may also be the case.

The survey showed that 88 percent of respondents use personal computing devices for business purposes and 65 percent of C-level executives consider consumerization of IT to be a top priority in their organizations. Considering technology is continuing to make advances, mobile offices may be adopted by most corporations and large companies in America that strive to keep up with new trends.