Employee satisfaction, productivity driving forces behind consumerization

There are a number of reasons why many companies have finally broken down and are now supporting personally owned smartphones and tablets under their mobile device management programs. According to a new report from CIO Magazine, many of them are centered on end-users' satisfaction and experiences with enterprise mobility.

In September, the news provider interviewed more than 550 technology executives to gauge how many organizations are handling the flood of consumer technology. Overall, the survey revealed that consumerization is being embraced like never before, but many companies have a way to go to effectively and securely leverage employee-owned devices.

“We are trying to allow [employees] to pick what makes sense to them; a personal device as well as a work device," Scott Saundry, the chief technology officer for the law firm Fraser Milner Casgrain, told CIO Magazine's researchers.

In all, 49 percent of respondents said they now allow employees to access the enterprise network through personally owned smartphones and tablets. Just 27 percent said employees are required to use company-provided devices.

Twelve percent of those polled said their organization provides users with an allowance to purchase personal devices to use for work.

But not all mobile platforms are supported by all companies. Seventy-four percent of respondents said their company continues to support BlackBerry smartphones, while 67 percent cited Apple's iOS devices, the iPhone and iPad. However, 44 percent said their firms are working to expand the list of consumer devices they support.

That's key, Saundry said, to ensure that enterprise mobility is as effective as possible.

"Having a good mobile platform allows them to maintain that out of office connection," he told CIO.

After all, the end-user experience was found to be the driving factor behind the expansion of MDM to support consumer technology. Signs are pointing to the fact that employees enjoy their new-found freedom. Eighty-three percent of respondents said consumerization is having a positive impact on user satisfaction, 81 percent highlighted an increase in productivity and 74 percent said the model has increased employees' access to business information.

It's important to note that consumerization does not come without its issues, and a recent GovInfoSecurity report highlighted several such challenges. Among them were the difficulties companies face in enforcing mobility policies, securing devices against malware and preventing data loss caused by lost or stolen smartphones and tablets.