Remote access policies demand strong security measures

File sharing, sync and collaboration tools are a staple of the modern workplace, expediting team-based processes and allowing employees to interact via dynamic channels of communication. Since a vast majority of information dispersed across the organization takes a digital form, however, employees may not realize the dangers of sharing files without discretion, especially when sending and receiving data from dispersed locations. You'll need to strengthen cyber security measures with improved software systems and employee best practice education to achieve productivity without sacrificing safety.

Long distance data The advantages of file sharing coupled with remote access policies create an undeniably powerful one-two punch for employee output, and according to a recent article from Mobile Enterprise, that fact is widely acknowledged across sectors both private and public. The source pointed to a report from Soonr, revealing that 89 percent of today's workers access files remotely, suggesting that flexible policies are enjoyed by the vast majority of the workforce. With 74 percent of employees stating file sharing is important to their daily productivity, the verdict is in on these two monumental trends.

Despite the many benefits of remote access and the ubiquity of shared file methods, these factors have created the perfect storm for network vulnerabilities. Soonr reported that 73 percent of employees rely on email to send and receive documents, while a mere 22 percent are even aware that dedicated file sharing platforms exist in their organization's infrastructure. IT leaders everywhere are concerned about the implications of this situation, with 33 percent of polled tech professionals claiming that cyber security has become a significant challenge as a result. Your work is cut out for you as employees continue to demand remote access capabilities and file sharing tools to remain productive on the go.

"With 59 percent of respondents feeling it is 'important,' or 'very important,' to be able to download or edit work files from a mobile device outside the office, addressing these concerns is paramount," said Ahmet Tuncay, CEO of Soonr, according to the source. "Solution providers can no longer rely on simple sync-and-share capabilities - employees need easy access to complete documents along with full editing capabilities under a range of conditions, even offline, in order to do their jobs efficiently."

Seeking solutions Mobile Enterprise explained that while obstacles to productivity vary from one industry to the next, the underlying message to IT departments remains the same across sectors: Files must be fully secured and highly accessible to remote users, as well as easily sent and received from one end of the organization to the next. With BYOD techniques steadily establishing themselves as the norm, and the facilitation of personal devices to tap into these resources, these challenges may seem insurmountable, even to today's most experienced tech leaders.

That's why the guidance and expertise of a dedicated solutions provider are essential for overcoming these obstacles and creating a file sharing ecosystem that is both secure and conducive to your remote access aspirations.