Dive Brief:
- More and more work is being done using personal mobile devices and employees expect employers to keep personal information private on those devices, according to new research.
- The 2015 MobileIron Trust Gap Survey found that 86% of mobile workers own the smartphone they use for work purposes, as do 37% of tablet users. 61% trust their employer to keep their personal information private on their mobile device. 30% of people would leave their job if their employer could see their personal information, such as personal emails, texts, or photos on their smartphone or tablet.
- The online research, conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of MobileIron, surveyed more than 3,500 employed adults who use a mobile device for work in France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the UK and the US.
Dive Insight:
“Mobile workers, especially younger workers, have an expectation of privacy when using mobile devices for work. Many would leave their jobs if their employer could see personal information on their device,” said Ojas Rege, vice president, Strategy, MobileIron. “In a world where smartphones contain increasing amounts of sensitive personal data, CIOs must remember that every device is a mixed-use device and must protect employee privacy as fiercely as corporate security.”
While HR is not usually involved directly in IT issues, it would be smart to get involved with mobile device use for work, not only from an employee trust perspective, but also from a compliance and/or technology policy POV. Legal compliance for the brave new world of BYOD (bring your own device) is very complex. HR, which is ultimately responsible for legal compliance, should be right there with the CIO and other technology leaders when these policies are hammered out.
