COMMS DEALER ROUND TABLE Mitel sets new trend as BY


Mitel asks whether now is the time for resellers to help IT directors put aside conventional policies and set a new corporate standard in addressing the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon.


I


t says something for UK PLC’s IT strategies when the technologies used at home by employees


are more advanced than the corporate standard. Not surprisingly the credentials of IT directors will fall rapidly unless they instate policies that align with the needs of workers and their use of personal devices, such as iPhones, iPads, Android smartphones and tablets. Even worse, the stature of resellers will also fall unless it is within their compass to give direction and help IT managers not only put in place an agile and secure communications architecture, but also one that provides employees with the freedom to use their preferred technologies and devices.


As the younger tech-savvy generation continues to lay their hands on the latest devices and then enter the workplace firmly attached to their beloved end point, IT managers risk being accused of sitting on their hands and bumbling along in the shadows of a technology revolution. Research by Mitel confirms the extent of the proliferation of personal devices in the workplace, with 67 per cent of workers using at least one of their own devices for work purposes. There is also a school of thought


that says employees are more productive when using their own device in the workplace, and that such a modus operandi removes some of the burden from an IT manager as the user is more likely to troubleshoot any problems themselves.


Trail blazing


Mitel is blazing the trail for IT managers to transform traditional work domains, empowering people to work outside conventional boundaries and become more agile, responsive and productive. Mitel Unified Communicator Advanced software, already available on Blackberry devices, was recently launched on both Android and iOS mobile operating systems. The software specifically aims to help IT bosses better manage the BYOD trend in terms of security and control issues, while at the same time extending presence and collaboration beyond the workplace.


A distinct point that resellers might like to ponder next time they sit down with an IT manager is the emergence of Generation Y (people born between 1975 and 1995) in the work environment. It is predicted that by 2020 this generation will account for 50 per cent of the workforce. Their lives are fully digitalised


through social media and they expect a similar culture when at work within the social enterprise. “Today’s younger workforce has grown up using the web and advanced personal computing devices, and it’s clear from our study that they expect the same array of communication tools and devices at work that they have at home,” commented Duncan Miller, International Marcoms Manager, Mitel.


Andrew Hart, former IT Director at Deloitte, commented: “I came from an organisation that felt IT should be standardised, but 18 months ago realised that this model was no longer sustainable because people had better technology at home. There was a potential risk that new recruits would question whether this was the kind of organisation they would like to join.”


Devices are a big driver for the consumerisation of IT, empowering workers to make choices and take control. According to Mitel’s study, almost a third of workers believe their personal devices are more advanced than those provided by their employer, and one in ten believe they know more about the latest technology than their IT department. This all means that there


Duncan Miller People want this,


and it’s our role to support the IT Director


is an opportunity for the channel to create value by helping IT departments to maintain control while ensuring a flexible approach to accommodate future demands.


Social media


In the social media domain content is persistent and context is everywhere, a trend that is being driven by virtualisation and the proliferation of access devices with social interfaces. The adoption of social network tools in the enterprise could be the catalyst for a new


“The channel needs to bring a complete collaborative solution to the customer,” Miller noted. “As workforces become more disparate in nature and are increasingly geographically spread out, IT directors are looking towards resellers who can deliver what they need.”


Find out more about Mitel Freedom Architecture at www.mitel.com/freedom 28 COMMS DEALER DECEMBER 2011 www.comms-dealer.com


wave of true collaboration, says Miller, with BYOD playing a key role in bringing forward inclusive collaboration where communities of interest proliferate and collaborate freely outside of traditional boundaries.


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