Young people are often credited with being technological experts, born into a world where they had no choice but to get to grips with computers and smartphones. So they should be the leaders in using the devices effectively in the workplace, right?
According to new research from Aruba Networks, businesses aren’t ready for the rush of new devices introduced in the workplace, with security networks and policies struggling to keep up.
What are the risks?
The main risk associated with ‘Generation Mobile’, as described by Aruba Networks, is the introduction of new security threats unique to current mobile device trends. This is due to an increase in the rate of device sharing with little regard for the associated compromises.
Aruba Networks found that six in every 10 employees regularly share devices they use for work and personal tasks. This creates a threat when combined with the fact that around a fifth (22 per cent) of those surveyed have no password protection on these devices.
Generation Mobile also fails to consider security concerns when purchasing new devices. Aruba Networks discovered that it was only the fifth highest ranked preference for Generation Mobile workers, despite nearly a third (31 per cent) losing data at some point.
Part of this is due to a misunderstanding of whose responsibility it is to keep devices safe, with 87 per cent certain that it’s up to a company’s IT department to keep them secure. This highlights a major issue for IT managers within businesses, as policies need to be clearly laid out for employees to prevent these misunderstandings from happening.
It’s also important that staff acknowledge their responsibility for device security as they now often hold personal and professional data simultaneously.
However, this does not mean that employees should be discouraged from bringing devices into the workplace.
“Organisations should strive to build a secure and operational framework for all workers, rather than stifle them. These trends underline that #GenMobile employees continue to be a growing part of the everyday workforce, but they also bring with them some risky behaviours,” said Aruba Networks CMO Ben Gibson.