Today, Parallels® unveiled Parallels Mac Management v6 for Microsoft SCCM, which extends Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) functionality and enables IT managers to use one pane of glass to manage both PC and Mac® computers with ease, increased efficiency, and higher productivity. The feedback from our v6 beta testers had been fantastic and we […]
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IT resellers have the opportunity to take part in our free upcoming Parallels Mac Management for Microsoft SCCM certification program. What is Parallels Mac Management for Microsoft SCCM ? For companies that already use Microsoft® SCCM for managing PCs, Parallels Mac Management allows IT to maximize investments and enables administrators to leverage existing processes by using SCCM […]
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We had a great time at ShowStoppers press event Mobile World Congress (MWC) at the University of Barcelona yesterday, on February 26, announcing to different journalists that Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) is now available at Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Parallels RAS on Azure was demonstrated at the event including hands-on demos of how simple it is to use […]
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Waaaaaaaay back in 2013, Gartner forecast that about half of the world’s enterprises would adopt bring your own device (BYOD) programs by 2017. With that deadline only weeks away, how are you feeling about your own company’s BYOD or CYOD policy? Have you seen your IT administration evolve to manage the growing mix of hardware […]
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The Experts to Experts Virtualization Conference has a reputation as one of the foremost technical events when it comes to virtualization in all its forms, and draws experts from around the world. From November 18 to 20, world leaders in virtualization will meet at the H10 Roma Citta Hotel in Rome to learn and share […]
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The post below was written by GreenPages’ Advanced Virtualization Consultant Sean Thulin. It was originally published on his blog.
As businesses expand, IT staffs often do not. When more and more people are added to the company, you will need a way to manage everyone’s devices. Whether you have corporate secrets to protect, a BYOD policy to enforce, or you just want people to stop asking you for the Wi-Fi password, mobile device management is becoming a bigger part of day to day operations. Today, VMware is proud to announce the addition of a new product, Airwatch Express!
Airwatch Express is the MDM-as-a-service offering that allows companies to manage mobile devices without going through a major investment in time or resources. At only $2.50/month/device, this offering allows a 100% cloud based management of devices that comes in at almost half the current pricing.
To read the rest of the post, visit Sean’s blog!
A Technical White Paper on Empowering a Mobile Workforce The advent of smart-phones has put an end to many things: postal mail has been replaced with email, calendars and watches are becoming a thing of the past, and digital cameras have taken a hit. A major transformation in the IT segment is the evolution of […]
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We live in a world where the 9-5 office job is rapidly becoming obsolete. The office worker is no longer chained to a desk, thanks to the rapid rise and swift adoption of technologies which enable work to take place at home, on the move, or anywhere with an internet or mobile connection.
At least, that’s what the world would have you believe. According to the latest research from UC EXPO, many workers still aren’t aware that they have the right to request flexible working from their employers. Even more worryingly, many office-based workers say that not all employees have access to these seemingly universal policies. So what’s going on at an employee level? Is the flexible working revolution really as advanced as it seems?
A flexible revolution – embracing new working ideals
It can’t be denied that the workplace and attitudes towards the traditional office-based role is changing. In a sharp increase on previous years, 27% of UK office workers now regularly work outside their base, and just under that (22%) say that they have worked at home, remotely, or elsewhere with flexible hours more in 2015 than they did in previous years.
It’s clear that the option to work flexible hours is seen as a right nowadays, but interestingly, so is remote working. The right to request flexible working became law in 2014, but 74% of the UK’s office-based workforce think that requesting remote working should be a right too.
It’s not just the ability to ‘be your own boss’ which makes flexible working so attractive. 82% of UK workers are much more likely to take a job that offers flexible working benefits than one that doesn’t, which presents an issue for businesses that don’t adhere to this. Whilst some workers are excluded whose job roles do not require a strict 9-5 policy, the benefits of flexible working are more widely recognised than a year ago, with a whopping 90% of those surveyed citing flexible working as essential to maintaining a better work/life balance. So much so, in fact, that it is valued higher than any other benefits, including a season ticket loan and daily free breakfast!
What’s stalling the flexible phenomenon?
Despite the widespread acknowledgment and appreciation of flexible working policies, it seems that total adoption is still a long way away. The concerns of recent years are still prevalent, including questions around BYOD security and the ability to trust employees to actually work when they are out of the office on company time. 67% of UK office workers, in fact, believe that productivity levels either increase or stay the same when working remotely.
Although the concerns around productivity and security are decreasing, thanks to increasingly secure technologies available, a worrying number of UK office workers are still not aware of their right to request flexible working. In 2015, 50% of workers were unaware of this law, whereas in early 2016, around 39% are still unaware. So, despite a decrease, it’s still a significant proportion of the workforce who are potentially missing out on adopting the work style that suits them best.
The future of UC
Unified Communications technologies are helping to stimulate the growth of flexible working culture – most of us have used video conferencing at some point, in addition to other cloud-based collaboration tools. This is starting to become more sophisticated, and eventually, we will see a much more fluid working policy for the majority of UK businesses. As UC EXPO exhibitor Tim Bishop of Unify comments: “The office as we know faces an uncertain future. According to our research, 69% of knowledge workers say that having a single office as a physical workplace is less important than it was in the past, and 49% report that their organizations operate through technology and communication (such as virtual teams) rather than through offices and locations”.
Whilst Unify, and many others, argue that this will be a good thing, until the concerns around security are truly resolved, and we have a foolproof method of ensuring productivity and security when employees work remotely, there will always be something holding us back to some extent. That said, it’s clear that this is the future of the workforce – time for businesses and technology providers alike to get on board and embrace the change.
Written by Bradley Maule-ffinch, Director of Strategy at UC EXPO
About UC EXPO
UC EXPO is Europe’s largest unified communications & collaboration (UC&C) event, for those looking to find out how the latest unified communications can drive and support their business. The event showcases brand new exclusive content and senior level insights from across the industry. UC EXPO 2016, together with Unified Communications Insight (www.ucinsight.com) and the world’s largest UC&C LinkedIn group delivers news, insight and knowledge throughout the year. Attending UC EXPO 2016 will help to ensure business decisions are being made based on the latest best practice for improved communications and collaboration, and organisations are able to continue, or start their journey in enabling workforce mobility.
UC EXPO 2016 will take place on 19-20 April 2016, at Olympia, London.
For full details of the event, or to register for free, visit www.ucexpo.co.uk or follow UC EXPO on Twitter using the hashtag #UCEXPO.
Bring Your Own Device The digital climate we are living in is evolving at a faster rate than almost everything else. This is, perhaps, most evident in the business world, where the drive of competition steers businesses towards progress. One key technique that is quickly becoming a leading solution for these businesses is allowing employees […]
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This post originally appeared on VMware’s AirWatch blog and was authored by Scott Szymanski. Be sure to check VMware’s blog for more great content.
Mobile devices have been a huge hit for healthcare. In fact, a recent report from Research and Markets expects mobility in healthcare to grow from $24 billion this year to $84 billion in 2020. From accessing medical records to real-time translation services, doctors and nurses are seeing an incredible transformation in how they administer care using mobility.
While this is exciting for patients and doctors alike, healthcare IT teams must reconcile the government red tape and employee concerns inevitable with new technologies. These teams must meet HIPAA compliance and maintain patient trust without creating a labyrinth of security that medical staff find difficult to navigate regularly.
Fortunately, many healthcare organizations, including Florida-based Adventist Health System, have delivered successful mobile transformations across their teams. Watch the Adventist Health System video to learn how mobility is transforming healthcare. Then, take a look at the top three healthcare concerns to consider when researching mobility.
Security
There’s hardly anything more cringe-worthy in healthcare than security. From electronic medical records to staff communications, there is a lot of sensitive client and staff information that needs protecting. And if this information is left in the open, it could have devastating repercussions. According to IDC Health Insights, 50% of healthcare organizations will have experienced anywhere from 1-5 cyberattacks—and one-in-three attacks will be successful.
Luckily, security and mobility can work together. Look for enterprise mobility management (EMM) solutions that can track devices, push applications, enforce security policies and more without getting in the way of physicians. Some solutions can even wipe lost or stolen devices remotely, ensuring IT can quickly react when problems arise. Keeping information safe starts with strong security.
Simplicity
While security is primary, don’t forget the importance of simplicity. Mobile devices are redefining how medical staff diagnose, treat and report on patient health, and the last thing doctors need is another “helpful tool” that hinders timely and effective patient care. Devices that are difficult to use generally aren’t used at all, and worse than that, they could be used incorrectly in ways that might circumvent the security you worked hard to put in place.
Remember: sometimes less steps equal greater success. Simplifying the sign-in process to devices and applications might encourage a doctor to check a patient’s records twice before ordering a prescription. Tablets and smartphones could reduce training and the number of troubleshooting incidents serviced by IT, leading to independent but connected physicians across your entire medical network.
Patient Engagement
No matter how you use mobility, remember who physicians care about most: patients. Delivering timely and accurate information to patients is one of the most important elements of quality healthcare. Patients want to know their treatments and why they are receiving them. Unfortunately, according to a study done at the North Shore University Hospital in New York, less than half of patients surveyed were able to state their doctors’ diagnoses, an issue that could affect patient health and trust.
With connected mobile devices, you could deliver up-to-date patient information to physicians in real-time. Not only could this contribute to more accurate diagnoses, patients might feel safer sharing information with their doctors, ultimately leading to better care. Mobile devices are also more interactive than traditional computers and paper charts, and they could help doctors better illustrate medical procedures or conditions in ways patients actually understand. More informed patients are happier patients, and mobility could be the solution in your organization.
GreenPages has strong AirWatch expertise. If you have any questions or need any help on AirWatch projects, be sure to reach out!