While 2020 hasn’t been our favorite year, we can’t overlook the lasting impact of this great migration to remote work. Think anything will go back the way it was pre-COVID? We don’t either, which is why IT teams need to be ready for a BYOD future. In fact, according to research LogMeIn recently conducted with IDG, 71% of companies are more accepting of employees using personal devices for remote work.

How did we get here?

When companies abruptly shifted to remote work, IT departments had to expand bring your own device (BYOD) policies to maintain business continuity and fill in the gaps of supply chain disruptions. When entire remote workstations needed to be outfitted, BYOD was a life saver.

Where are we going?

Now IT teams must think about how to support BYOD for the long term. Not only are these devices that employees prefer to work on, but they also lower costs by saving on IT provisioning. Plus, the remote work they power has a lower environmental impact. Goodbye, commutes!

To keep BYOD humming, there are four things you need to know:

1. How to outmaneuver networks

BYOD devices aren’t always within IT’s remote monitoring and management (RMM) purview, especially mobile devices. To keep employees fully supported, it’s important that techs be able to access any device on any network. Ensure you have an on-demand remote support solution that allows you support Macs, PCs, iOS and Android devices, regardless of the network.

2. How to pop over the virtual cubical wall

When technicians are working remotely, they can’t just pop over the cubical wall to ask one of their peers for help. And since BYOD devices vary widely, they’ll need it from time to time. Ensure your remote support solution offers technician collaboration to simulate IT teamwork in a virtual space.

3. How to access physical equipment

Employees must also rely on physical equipment in their remote workstations, like printers, second monitors and wi-fi routers. It helps if IT can see these devices to support them. Ensure you have a remote camera-sharing solution to visually guide employees through fixes. It sure beats the back-and-forth miscommunications that can happen on blind phone or chat conversations.

4. How to lock out malicious actors

Malicious activity is on the rise in the remote work era. In a recent IDG survey, every single respondent reported facing security gaps exposed by remote work. While remote support is a necessary capability for IT, it can be the target of scams. Your remote support solution should include security measures to ensure employees only receive support from your trusted team.

There’s no going back to pre-pandemic office-centric work.

This global work experiment is proving that working from anywhere works. And so organizations will need to continue to rely on BYOD well into the future. Is your remote support solution up to the task? Prepare your help desk for a BYOD future. Download our new eBook, A BYOD Future: How to Provide IT Support for Your Post-COVID Workforce.