Introduction

Due to innovation in technology, the last few years have witnessed a dramatic change in the way employees work. The business world increasingly relies on Information Technology (IT) to perform daily activities. The dependency of the corporate workforce on technology demands instant and flexible access to workplace apps, files, and other resources to perform business operations. Since mobile devices access the confidential data of corporates, it may threaten the company’s security and privacy. Therefore, in this new landscape, businesses require a simple and flexible way to control and manage digital devices while leaving behind enough space for employees to work seamlessly from anywhere.

Mobile Device Management Solutions

Mobile Device Management (MDM) software emerges as a promising technology that allows the IT team to manage the devices of employees remotely and enforce policies to ensure compliance, efficiency, and security. It is equipped with a range of features and tools that assist enterprises in pushing approved apps, incorporating authentication controls, limiting users from accessing unauthorized content, and providing remote troubleshooting. In a remote setting, MDM software maintains visibility and control over both employee-owned and corporate-owned devices specifically used for work purposes. The following are the ways MDM solutions can assist remote work environments.

Security

With the help of MDM solutions, organizations can easily manage and secure devices. The popularity of remote working has brought lots of challenges regarding the security of assets and corporate data. Generally, the devices used by employees are unpatched devices with malicious apps and web pages that are prone to various cybersecurity threats. When these devices connect to the corporates’ internet, they also become victims of novel security breaches. To address these concerns, MDM software plays an important role. It provides a centralized console by which admins can enforce security policies regarding authentication, encryption, access control, troubleshooting, and remote wipe. Using MDM software, admins can ensure that devices are updated, and all the necessary security patches are installed. The kiosk feature of the MDM solution locks down a device to a set of approved apps and disables all other functionalities so that employees cannot misuse a device or transfer confidential data.

Compliance

Apart from security, another important challenge that organizations face is compliance. Depending on the nature of the organization, there are several regulations and legislation including HITECH, GDPR, PCI DSS, and HIPAA with which corporates must comply. MDM solutions can help organizations to show conformance with regulations. Using MDM software, admins can ensure data protection by requiring a robust password, encrypting data, and disabling certain features. Similarly, the MDM solution assures the protection of sensitive data even if the device is stolen, lost, or compromised by allowing remote wipe capabilities. The app management feature also helps in compliance with regulations by controlling apps to be installed with a certain level of privileges and permissions. All these features help organizations in complying with applicable regulations.

Efficiency

Along with numerous advantages, remote working brings lots of challenges as well. One of the important challenges that need consideration is the impact on efficiency. When employees are working from different geographical locations, it is cumbersome to ensure that secure apps are installed on employee devices with accurate configurations and permissions and that they have access to all the required resources to perform their duties on time without delays. With MDM software, admins can automate device configurations to ensure that the device is patched and secure.

Privacy of employee

With the MDM solution, the privacy of employees can be preserved. Mostly, the employees using their personal devices for work are hesitant and concerned about their personal data. MDM software creates a virtual container that separates both personal and corporate data. It creates a separate space where corporate data can be installed and operations can be performed. In this way, IT teams only secure and manage work-related resources without interfering with personal space.