The mobile office has become synonymous with the younger workforce which has embraced the concept, says Sean Wainer, country manager of southern Africa at Check Point Software Technologies.
Unlike the traditional eight- to nine-hour office day, office mobility allows for a reduction in office space costs while catering for after-hours work time, which often suits both the worker and the organisation, he continues.
As the mobile office phenomenon continues to grow, questions have been raised as to whether companies are beginning to embrace the concept, Wainer says.
ITWeb and Check Point Software Technologies have collaborated to carry out the Mobile Office Survey, to find out how the trend has affected business in SA.
“I am looking to understand the proliferation of mobile workers in SA. How prevalent they are and at what level,” explains Wainer.
“We hear a lot about the mobile workforce and road warriors, but I would really like to understand if companies are starting to embrace this, and also if they understand the threats and risk associated from a data protection point.”
Data at rest, or company information that resides on the laptop, PDA or smartphone, is something that “needs to be protected, not only by encrypting the drive, but also by locking down to stop data being removed”, states Wainer.
The device itself needs to be protected from malware getting onto the machine while connected to sites outside the organisation, he adds.
Despite these security concerns, Wainer predicts the mobile office concept in SA, just like in the international arena, will grow in popularity, as organisations are demanding more efficiency from their staff to remain competitive.
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