Are Business Mobiles Better For Security?

Providing your workers with business mobiles is a good strategic practice for better productivity, higher work quality and better data security for your company.

Yet interestingly smartphones are a device that businesses are least likely to lease or buy for their staff. Why is this?

Well, it is a lag in realising that the way we worked has changed.

The majority of companies certainly provide business-grade computer equipment for their staff. While most people will have their own IT devices at home, it is still rarely the case that employers will let them use their own hardware.

While BYODs (Bring Your Own Devices) are not unheard of, especially back in the early disorganised clambering of the pandemic, they are primarily the domain of freelancers. Whether employed staff mainly work in the office, at home or elsewhere, they will likely be working on laptops provided by their employer.

However, this practice is less frequent when it comes to smartphones, and this is an error in judgement.

Businesses increasingly expect staff to be accessible remotely. This isn’t only a matter of WFH. In many industries and specific roles, employees need to be on the phone or video conferencing or accessing email and task assignment apps while out and about.

Their role could include plenty of commuting, visiting different offices and sites in different locales and journeying to client bases and presenting. All while being part of the workday. A smartphone is invaluable for these roles and these types of tasks are common in a growing number of roles.

So, it’s obvious that owning a smartphone is useful to many jobs, perhaps essential, but why should directors bother to lease business mobiles to employees when most have their own?

Well, the answer is much the same as to why you would provide laptops. Enterprise-model laptops have enhanced functionality enabling staff to do their jobs better. This is exactly the same for business mobiles. Enhanced power, better battery life, more robust design, additional business-orientated apps, and, most crucially, higher levels of security.

67% of employees use their personal devices for work. This is troubling considering that only 39% of organisations have a formal BYOD policy. Even when there is a policy in place, 50% of staff have not been provided with BYOD instructions to prevent company data from crossing into personal use.

Meanwhile, cyber-attacks globally increased by 125% through 2021, and this upward trend has continued.

From this, we can see why any personal IT device is a risk when used for work calls, emails and other means of communication and data handling.

Benefits Of Business Mobiles

Leasing business mobiles has so many advantages for business including:

The increased inbuilt cybersecurity – Business models will come with additional protections in built.

The additional optional cybersecurity software – Your business smartphone lease provider can potentially add more cybersecurity technology to keep your data safe.

The easy option to register to MDMs – MDMs allow businesses to control how their devices are used by staff, such as:

• Which apps they can instal
• How data and files can move on and off your network
• Wiping devices that are lost or stolen

BYODs can be added to MDMs, but it is harder to encourage workers to allow this and have restrictions on how they can use personal tech.

Better adherence to company policy – Having a smartphone specifically for work psychologically encourages your employees to stick to company policy and not become lax with their behaviour. This is especially helpful when they are working at home where the distinction between work and leisure becomes blurrier.

Improved work/life balance – Not only do business smartphones protect your company and client data but they help your staff’s well-being as well. With separate devices for work vs friends and family, it is easy for employees to maintain a work/life balance and switch off when they need.

Increased control of usage – It is easier to get employees comfortable in installing specific business apps, monitoring apps and any other mandated apps if it is not on their personal phones.

Consistency – All employees can be working with the same operating systems and applications. This makes it easier for collaborating with co-workers and demonstrates a consistent experience to clients.

Higher quality work output – Better connectivity and better apps will result in your workers doing their best work on business smartphones whether that’s collaborating in-house or with clients and partners.

Protecting company data is the best reason to lease business mobiles, but as we can see from the above list, there are numerous benefits to arming your workforce with enterprise-grade smartphones.

Switching to business mobiles is a simple process with Phones For Teams. With this DaaS-style lease, companies can get all their business mobile services from one provider in one place. That includes the lease contract, the smartphones, all your support, and your limitless SIM plan.