Bring Your Own Device (or BYOD) has already made a significant impact on workplace flexibility, but a more recent trend is surfacing that will help productive companies create the same flexible work environments without taking on the enormous risk.
Corporately Owned, Personally Enabled (or COPE) devices are the next big thing, and projections show that close to 70% of global organizations will adopt this way of working.
Several companies have tested the COPE method, to find out if this move towards employee mobility was a less risky option than BYOD. They found the most distinct differences between BYOD and COPE were in network security and the management of personally identifiable or proprietary data.
With BYOD, employees bring their own devices to work, so their employers have less control of how those devices are being used. This creates an uncertain network environment and a potential increase of network security issues.
In a COPE situation, the company may give employees the freedom to choose a device from a catalog and even let them select the apps they want, but the employer can specify which Internet carrier is used and what type of devices can sit on the network.
So the employee still has mobility, yet the employer can minimize security risk, costs and even control the level of tech support that would apply to a mixed range of devices.
COPE also provides companies with the power to monitor devices beyond selection. In the case of a stolen device, the company can simply send out a wipe command to the device to protect against the theft of any proprietary data.
Despite the benefits of this new practice, there are still major risks involved for employers. It's best to protect your assets and maintain the necessary insurance coverage to protect COPE devices.
Privacy & Network Security liability insurance offers businesses the chance to avoid risks of losing data or experiencing a breach in security. Privacy and Network Security policies are (E&O) insurance policies that protect companies from exposures relating to unauthorized or unintentional disclosure of confidential information to others.
Be sure to speak to a licensed professional about a Privacy & Network Security solution that may work for your business.
