SOTI’s latest research has found that better video conferencing technology and improved security measures are the number one concern for remote workers in Australia.
Nearly half (49%) want closer or better contact with their team members when working outside the office.
The report found that 43% of remote workers said connectivity encompassed their productivity, and 44% want better video conferencing solutions and video calling capabilities implemented to bridge this “connection gap.”
SOTI VP of Sales in APAC, Michael Dyson, says many Australians are now working with a hybrid model or mostly working remotely.
“The number of Australian workers performing their tasks remotely has grown dramatically during the pandemic, putting a lot of pressure on companies to ensure that teams still feel connected and employees can perform their tasks effectively, despite being unable to. Near support,” he says.
“Mobile technologies such as video conferencing and messaging capabilities can bridge this gap, but these devices must be fit for purpose and well managed.”
SOTI says it was alarming that 46% of Australian telecommuters stated that their employers had not provided additional security instruction or solutions for managing their mobile devices since they started working outside the office.
“As the Australian workforce has shifted to working outside of an office environment, the security of mobile devices is paramount,” Dyson says.
“An unattended device that gets compromised or lost is a major problem for businesses, especially when it’s in a remote environment and without the supervision or assistance of IT personnel. It is now more important than ever for organizations to ensure that all their mobile devices are well-managed and secured. Therefore, there needs to be more education about device management and security for remote workers.”
The report also found that while mobile devices remain the bread and butter of any remote workforce, many consist of personal-owned and company-supplied devices – with 62% of remote employees using a combination of personal and company-provided devices. Use proprietary mobile devices, and 27% use only personal devices.
SOTI says this hybrid combination has challenges regarding Mobile Device Management (MDM) and security.
“Australian organizations need to be aware of the need to secure critical and private corporate information in a remote location, and when most devices are used from home or personal property, the risk of this information being insecure is much greater,” Dyson said.
Sensitive information can be protected through an Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution within a single organization. Still, that information can then be shared with a contractor (such as an electrician serving a customer for a utility company) who has an unattended device .”
Dyson says an organization can send private information to a contractor whose mobile device isn’t secure. The sender doesn’t know or control what the recipient does with that information.
