Member Article

Are you Ready for the Workspaces of the Future?

From accessing live train times to checking their emails on the move, today’s consumers expect connected services everywhere they go – and this is having a big impact on how we work. A new tech-savvy workforce has become the key driver for technological advancements in the workplace, demanding the same connectivity and access they use in their daily lives.

As more and more businesses embrace the mobility and flexibility that today’s technology offers, their employees are able to work when and where they want, promoting satisfaction and increasing motivation.

While this shift has been welcomed by many, the proliferation of consumer devices in the workplace can prove a real challenge for IT departments, compounding the need for better control and increased security.

What’s more, companies are having to evolve quickly to meet the demands of a new generation of employees, while continuing to support those who prefer to work in a more traditional office environment.

**What does this mean for security? **

For companies keen to allow employees to work flexibly and collaboratively – with all the benefits this brings – a fear of how they can do so while protecting both equipment and data can, understandably, keep bosses awake at night. After all, humans make mistakes. None of us are perfect, and a lot of us are guilty of leaving something on a train or bus.

An increased reliance on laptops, mobiles and tablets has driven three distinct changes in how IT departments manage users and their access to data:

1. Two-factor authentication

While security is essential, it’s imperative this doesn’t hinder users from accessing data. Draconian security systems that lock users out end up being circumvented, so exposing businesses to more risk.

Securing user sessions is the first step, and you can do that by utilising two-factor authentication. One of the more commonplace examples is Windows 10, which comes inbuilt with Microsoft Passport – also known as Windows Hello.

2. Cloud-based file sharing and collaboration

It’s no use having a secure device that an outsider can’t get into if the data is lost when that device is misplaced. While file servers are great for in-office scenarios, they aren’t an elegant solution for the on-the-move, multi-device workforce of today. This is where we start looking beyond traditional solutions into cloud-centric technologies. Depending on the access and control requirements of the data, this might be OneDrive, ShareFile or a number of other technologies.

3. Machine learning security policies

The final piece of the puzzle overarches all of this: data security. Traditional security has been highly structured and log-file based, whereas modern security designs look at trends, baselines and correlations to provide AI machine learning-based insights into the security of the estate. It’s impossible for organisations to protect against every eventuality without destroying the productivity of its users and, instead, businesses are looking at how they can limit the number of threats they face while being able to efficiently discover and remediate problems as they come up.

**Finding the right strategy **

A further impact of the rise of intelligent workspaces is the need to adapt IT strategies to suit. Rather than creating detailed technical strategies spanning three to five years, a more flexible approach is required for this disruptive landscape, allowing companies to constantly evolve and retain the agility needed to take advantage of innovative technologies and trends.

The best IT strategy is one with key long-term strategic goals against which smaller projects are aligned and adapted. Following the implementation of each phased project, an informed review ensures the business benefits were realised and provides a platform to look forward to the next phase, considering industry trends and technological advances to provide the most contemporary and cost-effective solution.

Today’s workspaces have the potential to be more collaborative, flexible and innovative than ever before and companies that fail to embrace this are likely to face struggles with employee retention as well as the ability to attract new talent. In turn, the organisation’s ability to compete with new and innovative digital disruptors entering the market is likely to be hampered.

Embracing new ways of working can prove daunting for many companies, but with the right strategy in place and the best tools to hand, there’s an incredible amount to gain. Welcome to the workspaces of the future.

Matthew Beale is Modern Datacentre Architect, Ultima Business Solutions, an automation and transformation partner.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ultima .