80% of the global workforce does not sit behind a desk to do their jobs. And thanks to advances in technology, this deskless workforce has access to information wherever they go, including miles or even time zones away from any company location. In response, many companies have implemented Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to help manage deployment and ongoing management of mobile technology, protecting company data and empowering a growing mobile-enabled workforce along the way.
From the most basic management platform to those incorporated into a Unified Endpoint Management system (UEM), there’s no shortage of high-quality and comprehensive MDM solutions available. However, layering in contextual intelligence to an existing MDM allows the management of devices to dynamically adapt based on a worker’s unique environment, which will ultimately better serve the mobile, deskless workforce of today.
Mobility Management Today
Generally speaking, the ultimate purpose of MDM is to help a company simplify deployment and ongoing management of the devices used by their employees or that operate on their network, thereby creating a workforce that is dedicated to mobile enablement without sacrificing the security, safety and overall success of a business. MDM solutions help to ensure that a person’s device, whether provided by the company or not, is optimized for the deskless worker.
MDM tools are incredibly useful for organizations looking to remotely configure and support multiple devices on a network as well as to manage app deployment, access to data, and overall policy. Some components of MDM systems include endpoint security that accesses a company’s network or IoT sensors, application security like app wrapping, or even something as simple as mobile troubleshooting.
Why Context Matters
Where traditional MDM solutions fall short is taking context into consideration. Deskless workers move within and between a variety of environments and situations in a day, and as a result, have different needs from their devices. MDM solutions alone cannot adapt what’s accessible on those devices to these changing contexts in real-time. That’s where Contextual Mobility Management (CMM) fills the gap.
CMM gives businesses the opportunity to think situationally and allow workers to carry out their tasks without making them more vulnerable to risk in their environment. Adding a layer of context can work like an automatic safety switch that adapts a device based on a contextual trigger. For example, if a maintenance technician was driving to a job, CMM would ensure that the person’s device can only access approved applications and programs like GPS while their vehicle was in motion.
Because CMM recognizes context and adapts in real-time, it also allows mobile devices usage policies to be more specific, effective, and enforceable. Employers can think proactively about risky environments and potential distractions, write policies to mitigate those risks and be assured that their policy is being enforced automatically.
In any context, be it a vehicle, a warehouse floor, or a dangerous job site, CMM empowers workers with all the tools they need for the task at hand, while removing anything extraneous or distracting.
Conclusion
For mobile-enabled companies, now is the time to incorporate context into their MDM platform. CMM makes employees safer and more productive, dramatically improving the employee experience while also ultimately benefiting your bottom line.
TRUCE Software is the only provider of Contextual Mobility Management Software. To learn more about how CMM is enabling and enhancing mobility for today’s workforce, read our ebook: “Context is Everything: Embrace the Benefits of Mobility, Without Sweating the Risks”.