Introduction
The post-pandemic world has accelerated the need for anywhere connectivity. Just a few years back, remote working was limited to frontline industries. However today, every industry is seeking ways to mobilize itself beyond traditional office spaces and tap into uncharted markets. According to a report, the global enterprise mobility market is expected to reach $151.51 billion by 2027. With this surge in enterprise mobility, it is the need of the hour for businesses to identify tools and strategies that help them streamline their enterprise mobility management.
What is Enterprise Mobility Management?
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) is the process of enabling employees to remotely access their company’s corporate data and resources on their secured mobile devices. This process generally involves the use of Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions which allows businesses to push security policies and manage their devices in bulk. EMM is a combination of several processes including the management of devices, apps, content and corporate information.
6 Prime Challenges in Implementing Enterprise Mobility
Enterprise Mobility helps businesses achieve greater efficiency, discover newer markets and allow benefits such as workplace flexibility to their employees. However, anything that seems too good to be true generally isn’t. Adopting enterprise mobility successfully is a tricky task that requires careful planning and implementation.
Let’s look at the key challenges faced by businesses in implementing enterprise mobility:
Risk of Corporate Data Breaches
Sensitive corporate information stored on employees’ devices is easily prone to leakage, especially in a BYOD work environment. The consequences of leakage of sensitive corporate data are loads of hefty fines and legal penalties. Businesses struggle to keep their data safe and prevent unauthorized access to increase their net sales.
Distribution of Business Resources
Enterprise mobility depends largely on enabling employees to use business tools and resources from beyond office premises. This requires IT admins to provision hundreds of devices with business-specific apps and tools which is a time-consuming and tedious task.
Reduced Employee Engagement
Traditional office spaces provide employees with a close-knit work environment. When working remotely, businesses are challenged with keeping their employees informed and engaged; here’s when business phone comes in handy, and not only. Updating your workforce with the relevant files and ensuring that no information gets siloed is of prime importance.
Loss of Productivity in Employees
With remote working, supervising employees becomes tougher. Most businesses either provide company-owned digital devices to their employees or adopt BYOD management. Either way, employees have to spend a great amount of time on their smart devices. Ensuring that employees use their devices specifically for work and do not get distracted by inappropriate apps and content is a critical challenge.
Device Errors Leading To Extended Downtime
According to Phi Dang, CEO of Sidepost, “One big drawback of enterprise mobility is that your IT teams cannot be always present with your employees. If your employees get stuck with some device issues, they have to wait until help arrives.” He further added that “Most employees are not tech-savvy enough to resolve device issues on their own. This leads to a tremendous loss of time and productivity.”
Tracking Device Inventory
It is difficult for businesses to keep a track of their employees when they are working remotely. Tracking the locations of your logistics drivers, mining agents or warehouse workers is crucial but complicated when they are constantly on the move. Similarly, keeping a track of device usage and compliance violations for your employees, whether they are on the move or working remotely from home is complicated.
Overcoming EMM Challenges With Mobile Device Management
Several businesses worldwide are adopting MDM solutions to streamline their enterprise mobility. A report suggests that the Mobile device management market size is projected to grow from USD 5.5 Billion in 2021 to USD 20.4 Billion by 2026.
What are the major features that help businesses overcome the EMM challenges:
Extensive Data Security Policies
MDM solutions offer businesses a platform through which their IT admins can configure enterprise-specific security policies and push them on their remote devices with just a few simple steps. You can configure device safety policies such as passcode policies, multi-factor authentication, etc. You can secure your sensitive business information against breaches with data encryption and data loss prevention policies, or you can even push network security settings such as the VPN and firewall on your remote employees’ devices to ensure corporate data protection.
Over the Air App Distribution
One of the most tedious parts of managing a remote workforce is furnishing their devices with the right business apps and tools. You can push a line of business apps on your employees’ devices over the air. Most iOS and Android MDM solutions also allow IT admins to configure
app permissions and schedule timely app updates to prevent the risks of mobile malware infiltration.
Remote Content Sharing
You can help your employees having job opportunities and take the paperless approach by sharing digital documents and files using the MDM platform. You can share files and documents of diverse formats with your diversely located employees instead of circulating bulky paperwork.
Configuring Device Restrictions
Smartphones, tablets and laptops powered by the internet and mobile apps can be a great source of entertainment leading to a drop in employee productivity. Modern-day MDM solutions like Scalefusion, allow businesses to lock their employees’ devices into a single or multi-app mode. This ensures that employees use only business-specific tools on their devices and do not distract themselves with other apps. You can also allow or block selective web pages on your employees’ devices. This prevents them from surfing entertainment websites during work hours and also helps keep malicious websites at bay.
Remote Troubleshooting
Although your IT teams cannot be physically present with your remote employees at all times, MDM solutions can help them instantly connect with your remote employees in case of technical issues. MDM solutions offer remote troubleshooting capabilities such as remote cast and control, VoIP calling, screen recording and other phone solutions for remote teams . which can help your remote employees receive instant IT support and get back to work within no time.
Location Tracking & Geofencing
While enterprise mobility for most industries means allowing workplace flexibility to employees, including working from home, some industries such as construction, mining, logistics, etc. are always remotely functional and on the move. It is crucial for businesses to know the whereabouts of their remote teams. You can leverage GPS-based location tracking from the MDM dashboard to gain real-time visibility of your device fleets. Some sophisticated MDM software also allow businesses to configure geofences and geofence-based compliances to restrict employees to a specific area.
Device Reports & Analytics
IT teams are burdened with several tedious tasks. One of the most tedious tasks is to constantly monitor multitudes of employees’ devices. Your IT admins can benefit immensely from inventory-level analytics presented by MDM solutions You can either gain device-level detailed reports or view a comprehensive summary of your entire inventory based on the usage and compliance patterns.
Closing Lines
The decision to adopt enterprise mobility for your business is a wise one. However, you can make the most of your remote operations with the right EMM tool. Challenges such as compromised corporate data security and increased distractions cannot be ignored. Scalefusion MDM is a popular device and endpoint management platform that helps businesses streamline their enterprise mobility management the right way.
Author Bio:
Shambhavi is a Content Writer at Scalefusion with experience in commercial writing, creative planning, product cataloguing, and content strategizing. She is a “Biotechnologist turn writer” and believes that the inception of great ideas happens over coffee.
