The Pros & Cons Of Tablets In The Workplace
While many people quickly think of the tablet as being more for personal use for Facebooking
, watching movies, playing Words With Friends, and generally having fun with a bunch of really cool apps it's the workplace that is perhaps benefiting most from this new and ever-evolving technology.
Forrester Research, in fact, recently estimated that approximately 25% of computers used for work globally are now tablets and smartphones and not PCs with that figure expected to at least double over the next couple of years.
But with this indoctrination into the workplace comes the classic mistake that many company's make of being so eager to introduce tablets into their business that they fail to adequately plan from not researching ahead of time how workers can best use the devices, to underestimating the costs and the additional challenges tablets present for IT networks and everything in between.
"When a client comes to us and says they want to start using tablets in their business, we are quick to advise them to develop a strategy for the best and most effective usage," said Greg Rosen, President of Ramp Up Technology, a Manhattan-based provider of technology support, IT & computer solutions, and interactive marketing. "Tablets are wonderful tools, but if they're not used correctly based on the specific needs of a company, they can then be one of the most ineffective uses of time."
Thus, Rosen offers the top five mistakes a company can make when considering tablet usage:
1 Not Planning Before Introduction
Rosen has seen it all too often. A company will purchase a bunch of tablets, then simply tell their employees "to start using them."
But without a clear strategy, the novelty of these devices quickly wear off, and can then be a hindrance to performance and efficiency.
"We saw one company buy 1,000 tablets for employees, then waited for the employees to tell them how they're using them," noted Rosen, adding "this goes against every effective principal of management, not to mention being an incredible money-waster and leading to employee frustration."
Instead, Rosen suggests putting tablets in the hands of small but key groups of employees before attempting a wide deployment, in order to iron out any potential issues before rolling them out to a wider audience. As well, develop a policy plan as to who will use them and how they will be managed.
2 Not Realizing That Tablets Can Have Their Pitfalls
Yes, tablets are great and can do a lot, but they still can't replace notebooks for many uses.
For example, many traditional computer programs won't work on tablets, and documents sent from a computer to a mobile device may end up losing some key characteristics.
Rosen notes that while some companies try to get around this by using virtual desktop applications Web-based programs that give users remote access to their PC desktop those don't always translate well to the smaller screen. In addition, most PC programs are designed for larger monitors, making it difficult to read them properly on a smaller screen.
So in developing a tablet strategy, compare what you currently have on PCs and laptops that won't work on tablets, and just your plan accordingly, suggests Rosen.
3 Thinking That All Apps Are Just A Click Away
Too often tablet users will think any and all apps will be easy to obtain for their needs.
But most companies don't have the means to produce and constantly update mobile applications for themselves. And while iPad and Android app stores have many more offerings than the stores of less popular tablets, even those have limitations.
Often these days, according to , company-specific apps need to be developed. And with the proliferation of company's specializing in app development these days, this can be done quickly and easily but it also comes with a price. So again, plan accordingly.
4 The Notion That Tablets Are A Big Cost-Saver Over Laptops
While a tablet is now in the $500 price range and dropping never forget that tablets need to be replaced more often than PCs.
So again, effective long-term planning is necessary when it comes to budgets. This is not to say don't consider tablets, but rather factor in costs for replacement going several years forward.
5 Not Fully Realizing Support And Security Issues
This is a big one, according to Rosen.
"Many company's treat the tablet as more of a toy than a piece of hardware that needs the same support and security measures in place as its PCs," he notes.
Company information on tablets still need to be protected, and employee usage still needs to be monitored. And this is just for starters.
When employees use personal tablets for work, can the IT staff remotely wipe the hard drive if the device gets stolen?
Employees also can download thousands of programs on their own, which can be a security nightmare for a corporate network and cause compatibility issues when the company wants to update operating systems and apps.
Rosen recommends implementing mobile-device management systems to deal with multiple operating systems more smoothly, while also addressing security, monitoring and technical-support issues more efficiently.
Again, this takes effective planning before tablets are ordered.
Rosen stresses that tablets are a new breed of devices that require new methods of management, and not an extension of existing IT systems. And with this comes a thoughtful, planned approach.
The advantages of tablets are ever-increasing.
So too should be the planning.
by: kevizithja
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