BYOD Tops the Modern CIOs To-Do List
A recent IDC survey found that technology trends such as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), which reflect the growing use of personal tablets and smartphones in the workplace, is driving change for the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and businesses across Canada. Of the CIOs surveyed, 58 percent said the number of mobile workers at their company has increased and that 68 percent of these workers use tablets in addition to mobile phones.
BYOD is quickly becoming the new norm for companies across Canada with 52.5 percent of CIOs open to employees bringing their own devices to work. When asked why CIOs have a bring their own device policy, 50.8 percent responded saying it was to appeal to young workers, which will make up 75 percent of the workforce by 2028. While security still remains a core component, CIOs are being driven by workplace trends to help future-proof their organization.
"Part of the CIO's role is to anticipate trends in technology and understand how they influence corporate policy while maintaining security and aligning with the strategic vision of the company," says Warren Shiau, director, Buyer Behavior Research Practice, IDC Canada. "The CIO role is shifting from a concentrated focus on managing and protecting centralized back office IT resources to driving employee productivity and empowerment."
The survey also reflects a shift in attitude by CIOs who have traditionally acted independently to implement IT regulations. The survey reveals that 55 percent of CIOs are actually adjusting their IT policies based on employee feedback and beginning to recognize the value of these insights in helping to create a more empowered workforce.
When asked about their biggest IT priorities for 2014, CIOs responded by saying that improving staff productivity (60 percent) and IT security (70 percent) were at the top of that list. Specifically, 96 percent of respondents that support BYOD said that security is important.
While security remains a top priority for CIOs, metrics and measurement are areas that have potential for growth with 43 percent of respondents saying that measuring mobile security effectiveness is not an exact science and hard metrics aren't being utilized. Fifty-two percent of CIOs surveyed don't currently measure security effectiveness although 52 percent say they will soon which speaks to the direction the ever-evolving role of the CIO may go next.
About the Survey
The telephone survey of 120 major Canadian organizations was completed during February 2014 by IDC Canada and represents a cross-section of the Canadian private and public sectors from Business Services, Financial Services, Retail, Communications and Media, Transportation and Warehousing and Utilities, to Government, Healthcare, and Education. The survey was designed to obtain an illustration of major Canadian organizations' attitudes and behavior within the mobility area. Survey respondents were composed of CIO or CIO equivalent IT-decision makers.
BYOD is quickly becoming the new norm for companies across Canada with 52.5 percent of CIOs open to employees bringing their own devices to work. When asked why CIOs have a bring their own device policy, 50.8 percent responded saying it was to appeal to young workers, which will make up 75 percent of the workforce by 2028. While security still remains a core component, CIOs are being driven by workplace trends to help future-proof their organization.
"Part of the CIO's role is to anticipate trends in technology and understand how they influence corporate policy while maintaining security and aligning with the strategic vision of the company," says Warren Shiau, director, Buyer Behavior Research Practice, IDC Canada. "The CIO role is shifting from a concentrated focus on managing and protecting centralized back office IT resources to driving employee productivity and empowerment."
The survey also reflects a shift in attitude by CIOs who have traditionally acted independently to implement IT regulations. The survey reveals that 55 percent of CIOs are actually adjusting their IT policies based on employee feedback and beginning to recognize the value of these insights in helping to create a more empowered workforce.
When asked about their biggest IT priorities for 2014, CIOs responded by saying that improving staff productivity (60 percent) and IT security (70 percent) were at the top of that list. Specifically, 96 percent of respondents that support BYOD said that security is important.
While security remains a top priority for CIOs, metrics and measurement are areas that have potential for growth with 43 percent of respondents saying that measuring mobile security effectiveness is not an exact science and hard metrics aren't being utilized. Fifty-two percent of CIOs surveyed don't currently measure security effectiveness although 52 percent say they will soon which speaks to the direction the ever-evolving role of the CIO may go next.
About the Survey
The telephone survey of 120 major Canadian organizations was completed during February 2014 by IDC Canada and represents a cross-section of the Canadian private and public sectors from Business Services, Financial Services, Retail, Communications and Media, Transportation and Warehousing and Utilities, to Government, Healthcare, and Education. The survey was designed to obtain an illustration of major Canadian organizations' attitudes and behavior within the mobility area. Survey respondents were composed of CIO or CIO equivalent IT-decision makers.