Android Work Profiles Enable Productivity

Many users want to use personal devices in a business setting, but some businesses do not support Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) due to fear of data loss. There are a few options to separate work data, but not restrict users from their own personal apps or data. Today we will look at how your business can take advantage of employees that already having a capable device, and how you can keep them from compromising security.

At one point, many companies provided each employee with a smartphone to benefit their ability to do work remotely. As technology advances, however, convenience and usability does as well. The burden of carrying two separate phones is not appealing to most users.

In 2011, Pew Research Center surveyed U.S. adults to estimate how many adults owned a smartphone. Their research concluded that 35% of Americans owned one. Fast forward eight years later, and it is now estimated that 81% of U.S. adults own a smartphone of some kind.

Another survey concluded that 70% of employees keep their phones “within eye contact” at work. So why do only 59% of businesses allow their employees to use their smartphones for work purposes? There’s both pushback from the employee who doesn’t want to give up their liberties on their own device, and pushback from business owners who don’t want to risk data theft.

Separating Personal Data from Work Data

Some businesses simply do not understand--or have not deployed--the resources to enable work profiles. Android’s work profiles allow users to securely separate their own personal data from work data. These profiles not only store data in separate storage areas, but do not allow applications to simultaneously run which might compromise data security. Data is truly separated, and cannot be intertwined.

While using work profiles is secure, some employees are hesitant to create a profile. Employee pushback is the main reason employees do not participate in BYOD programs. Most employees are not bothered if Mark Zuckerberg has access to the entirety of their contacts, browsing history, camera and microphone, and even photos; but, if their own personal boss has the same authorizations, some employees will not partake in any sort of BYOD.

Setting up Work Profiles

While skepticism is unavoidable in some employees, setting up work profiles still greatly benefits your business. Setting employees up with their own device can improve productivity, and security. Most work profiles are set up through Google Mobile Management for Android. There are few requirements in order to set up work profiles. Your device must use Android 5.1 or newer software, and users must have whitelisted apps in the managed Play store. Once these requirements are met, users are able to navigate to:

Click on the Settings app go to Management > Devices > Search and select devices and then open a work profile installation wizard from Managed Google Play. Once there click on Create managed Google account/work profile. Click Create to confirm.

If you have any questions on how to set up work profiles, or how it will benefit your business, reach out to our IT professionals at Directive by calling 607.433.2200.