Tablets in the Workplace?

Tablets in the Workplace?

Tablets are becoming as common in offices as desktop computers these days, and while they are not usually a true replacement for a desktop or laptop, their capabilities can provide opportunities for organisations to update and change their business processes, according to a new report from global analyst firm Ovum.

In a recent market report, it was found that as the market for tablets grows, tablet use is contributing to a change in the way people work and is having a noticeable impact on enterprises. Whether through corporate provisioning or “bring your own device” (BYOD), fast increasing numbers of tablets are being used to access corporate data and applications.

“Coupled with imaginative thinking around how mobile apps could provide new or improved processes in specific roles, tablet deployments have the potential to change the way that businesses operate,” said Richard Absalom, analyst for Consumer Impact Technology at Ovum. “The primary challenge for the enterprise is to turn tablet usage into a genuinely transformative deployment.” Even given the immaturity of the platform, tablet usage is fast becoming common practice in the workplace, whether through BYOD or corporate provisioning.

The first step to a successful tablet deployment is to understand employee behaviour and activity. Employees are using multiple devices to access corporate data and content, and any tablet or mobility strategy must be set in this context.

Providing access to corporate data and applications should not come at the expense of data security, but it is also vital that a secure solution does not come at the expense of user experience. Whatever strategy an enterprise opts for, given the fast pace of change in the market and an environment where employees are using personally owned tablets regardless of their employers official IT policy, generating ROI ultimately depends on getting deployments up and running quickly and understanding what does and does not work.

Do you have a formal Policy regarding Tablet use?