Odd as it may seem now, just a few years ago business leaders debated whether employees should be allowed to use mobile phones for work. Many worried that the practice would reduce productivity, increase stress and create potential security risks.

That debate is over.

Many organizations have had to scramble to implement technologies that enable work-from-home staff to access applications and data. Now that the initial transition is over, organizations should take the time to ensure they have well-defined policies and procedures governing remote work.

People today can get things done from just about anywhere at any time — you could start the day by checking email from a tablet, then update a project proposal from a laptop, and finally use an app such as Yammer or Chatter to communicate with colleagues via a smartphone.