A question of balance

Concerns over security may be holding organisations back from achieving optimum levels of efficiency in the workplace – but with the right approach, a good balance can be struck between protection and productivity. A recent survey SCC ran covering the subject of workplace productivity amongst 550 individuals from a range of UK industries revealed some interesting – and puzzling – findings. Not least in the area of security. One of the most intriguing was that two thirds – 67 percent – of UK organisations still restrict remote working due to security concerns. This was underlined by findings indicating that 73 percent of employees are not allowed to use their own devices for work purposes; and that 71 percent of organisations restrict the use of common cloud-based applications due to security concerns. If this is the case though, how are organisations providing mobile and remote working options? And without an effective BYOD (bring your own device) policy, how are they preventing staff from using their own devices to access corporate networks and data? In conflict The undeniable concerns that organisations have with respect to data protection and the drive towards greater mobility and flexibility would appear to be in conflict here. Yet other findings from the survey seem to indicate that the drive to enable more mobile and remote working practices is continuing unabated. We think two things are probably happening here. First of all, we are seeing heightened levels of awareness and concern with respect to digital security; secondly, that organisations are struggling to balance the mobility demands or users with security and regulatory requirements. As the figures mentioned above show, there is a very high level of awareness with respect to security. The consequences that may come through the inadvertent loss or exposure of personal data and the potential penalties that can be imposed as a result of GDPR have triggered a tightening of digital security policies. There has been a shift away from encouraging staff to bring their own devices and there has also been a tightening of what staff are able to access and do when they work at home or away from the office. Real compulsion While this is understandable, these attitudes are certainly in direct conflict with the very real compulsion that we see evidenced by other findings, for increased flexibility and remote working. The good news is that while mobility and security might seem to be in conflict, the two can be balanced to provide the optimum levels of protection and productivity. The security and remote management capability is available to give organisations the excellent control and monitoring that will ensure data is protected and they do not fall foul of GDPR or other regulations. Addressing this contrast is simply a matter of making a proper and thorough assessment of needs and taking an intelligent and methodical approach to putting the right solutions and policies in place to give the organisation the security and protection it needs, and workers the flexibility to deliver the highest levels of productivity. Having a flexible approach that allows people to work remotely is vital. Making sure you can enable them to do that securely, could make you a much more attractive employer. At SCC we have over 45 years’ experience in Making IT Work as a business enabler. We have helped numerous organisations similar to yours adapt to the ever changing workplace by designing, implementing and managing innovative technology solutions that address productivity needs and providing the flexibility employees need to work effectively anywhere and at anytime. Our consultative approach helps to identify what your core challenges are and allows us to build workplace solutions that address these needs. Our portfolio of services to support the modern workplace include: 

• Unified End-point Management
• Collaboration and Communication
• Application Modernisation
• Microsoft Consultancy
• Product Provisioning
• Service Desk
• IT Service Management
• End User Support

If you would like to have a chat about your Workplace Productivity needs, then please complete the form below:

  Related articles: Workplace Productivity IT Insights Report Why remote working is good for business Flexible working can reduce your office space costs Why technology needs to catch up with the consumer Are your apps holding your workers back? Is service and support papering over the cracks in workplace productivity? Making plans for enhanced workplace productivity