Although many large enterprises and government agencies are requiring employees to return to the office, remote work remains a fixture of the modern workplace. For many small to midsize organizations, remote work provides access to a larger talent pool and the ability to extend operations over a wider geography.

Mobile devices are an essential part of today’s remote and hybrid work models. Employees need the ability to access IT resources using their mobile devices so they can communicate, collaborate and remain productive.

However, mobile devices are also prime targets of hackers.

It’s been a long time since mobile phones were just phones. With more processing power than some desktops and laptops, today’s smartphones have become the computing platform of choice for many users. According to one survey, more than 90 percent of corporate employees use a smartphone for work every day.

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.