Companies are embracing the “consumerization” phenomenon and addressing “bring your own device” policies to accommodate younger employees and attract the best new recruits. However, although iPhones and iPads have been synonymous with the consumerization of IT, they are far from alone in driving the trend. The most popular consumer-owned devices being used in the enterprise are Android smartphones, BlackBerry smartphones and Apple laptops.
These are some of the results shared in the latest Avanade’s survey “Dispelling Six Myths of Consumerization of IT.” The business technology solutions and managed services provider based its results on a survey of more than 600 senior business and IT leaders conducted in 17 countries.
Globally, 88% of executives report employees are using their own personal computing technologies for business purposes today. The majority of C-level executives (65%) report the consumerization of IT is a top priority in their organization. On average, companies are allocating 25% of their overall IT budgets to manage the consumerization of IT. And the majority of companies (60%) are now adapting their IT infrastructure to accommodate employee’s personal technologies.
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Of those surveyed, 58% of executives said the greatest benefit of consumerizaton was the ability for their employees to work from anywhere. However, less than one-third (32%) of business leaders have changed policies to make their workplace more appealing to younger employees. And only 20% believe allowing personal computing technologies in the enterprise will benefit recruitment and retention efforts.
Avanade’s global CTO, Tyson Hartman, explained: “For business leaders, the consumerization of IT has less to do with the worker and more to do with the way employees work.”
Avanade’s research also noted a major shift in the way employees are using their personal technologies in the enterprise. Employees have evolved beyond straight content consumption – checking e-mail or Facebook – and are now increasingly using mission-critical enterprise applications.
