Typical construction jobsites have evolved over the years. Advancements in technology used to be in materials, techniques, and tools. Now they consist of wireless communication, computerization of tasks, and software management tools. In addition, 2021 is promising even more change and the ability to streamline the way remote sites communicate back to the home office.
Company provided endpoints, such as mobile phones and laptops, with Mobile Device Management (MDM) are more important than ever. Whether you have one job site or 100 across the nation, important and sensitive information can be floating around on your employees personal or company issued devices. Moreover, if not managed properly, could jeopardize your data and ultimately your projects. Mobile devices are inherently less secure than their in–office counterparts because of the lack oversight that being on a corporate network can provide. If you’re considering implementing a strategy to keep your construction jobsites in tip top technology health, here are four reasons Mobile Device Management is your ticket to a secure 2021.
4 Reasons to Deploy Mobile Device Management
1. IT Departments Have More Accurate Control
MDM platforms allow IT departments to treat jobsites in a similar fashion to how they keep the corporate office secure. It used to be a daunting task, but with MDM: Patch Management control, health and system monitoring, and securing endpoints can be easy. MDM also allows control over configurations to reduce the risk of malicious software getting a foothold on remote systems. With wins like that, it’s no wonder most IT departments are turning to this software.
2. Administrators Can Manage, Protect and Deploy Mobile Devices Seamlessly
The ease of use isn’t just on the IT side. The administrator of the tool can help end users in the field with various remote features and resetting options. It’s no longer a challenge to find a missing device (which can tend to happen on busy jobsites) and new devices can be deployed seamlessly. Your critical company information that sits on the mobile device can easily be wiped remotely, if your administrator needs to. Likewise, productivity won’t be lost because credentials can easily be transferred to a new device quickly.
3. It Can Be a Catalyst to Transition into the Cloud
A good MDM solution can actually act as a catalyst for an organization’s transition to the cloud. Utilizing remote automation with MDM can help facilitate upgrades to software and connectivity to resources, which in the past may have required individual touches by IT including a return from the field by team members with their devices.
4. There is a Variety of Platforms to Choose From
There are many examples of MDM Platforms with various levels of control. The benefit of this is that you aren’t backed into a corner with one particular software. Each software has its own unique set of features and benefits and come at various price points. Some notable platforms are: Airwatch, SOTI MobileControl, IBM MaaS360 and Microsoft’s Enterprise Mobility + Security.
As the requirements of remote work continues to evolve in Construction and all industries, Mobile Device Management will continue to be an increasingly relevant tool for IT Departments to support their users. Being able to protect your company, your employees, and your customers is not just a trend, but a requirement in order to sustain a healthy business.