Why Singapore CIOs have to say yes to CEOs

In Singapore, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a norm, not a trend. Companies are seeing more and more employees who own smartphones and tablets bring and use them for work. It is no longer uncommon to see employees accessing company-sensitive information on their personal devices. Just look at any desk around you in your office and you will spot personal devices scattered among traditional work tools.

While the BYOD phenomenon was previously associated with a younger generation coming into the workforce, disrupting existing workflows and tools deployed in an office environment, it actually is the C-suite driving BYOD.

Picture this: a young starter asks the IT department to allow him to connect his Android smartphone to the VPN and for his work emails to be accessible via his device. Naturally, the IT department will decline the request and point him towards company-mandated devices such as a BlackBerry.

Now, imagine the CEO of the same company receiving an iPad for her birthday. The IT department cannot turn her down when she demands for it to be connected to corporate email and Board-level presentations to be made available via the device for her to review while on the go.

In today’s technologically converging world, the CIO and his IT department have a tough job – they are responsible for the control and deployment of every application and report, but they also need to be the enablers of this brave new world.

While the CIO thought he had the backing of the CEO when it came to controlling the younger workforce with their disruptive ideas, from bringing their own personal devices into work to demanding intuitive next-generation tools, he is, in fact, getting the pressure from both ends of the spectrum. And he is forced to find a solution.

Now, the IT department is responsible for managing data quality, availability and security and reducing the risk of a security threat. They need to evolve as quickly as the technology industry does, working closely with employees to manage the transition, instead of trying to control it.

With Singapore seeing a 75% Internet penetration rate last year according to Internet World Stats, we are extremely used to using advanced, intuitive and personalised technology in our personal lives, and we expect to see this replicated in our working lives. There are multiple benefits in evolving working technology tools and practices, but the CIO – for good reasons – tends to let the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. The main concern is obviously security. But if even the CEO (with whom the ultimate responsibility lies) is demanding her latest gadget be connected, then the CIO needs to find a solution.

One obvious aspect is rolling out security across all devices. Given the number of tablets, smartphones and even ‘phablets’ being launched on a monthly or even weekly basis, however, this is tricky to implement.

Having browser-based tools that are agnostic and ubiquitous reduces the security headache for CIOs. All information is stored in-memory, and is kept off the device when not connected, minimising security risks. 

The benefits are numerous, whether it is driving productivity as employees are more inclined to use their personal devices and preferred tools to increase output, lowering overall costs for companies as they don’t have to invest in company-mandated devices, or even making the company more appealing to new recruits (especially the millennial generation) who are looking for an open-minded workplace.

When the CEO turns up to work and hands her new iPad to the CIO for set-up, she is, in fact, unconsciously helping to transform the organisation’s IT practice and policies. Otherwise, it will be one rule for senior management, and another rule for the rest of the company. And, in our converging, connected world where structures are fluid and constantly evolving, we need to ensure our organisations are equally flexible to accommodate this change.