7 ms·

My employer recently required that any mobile access (or, really, any access through a method other than web browser) to any real-time communications systems fo

My employer recently required that any mobile access (or, really, any access through a method other than web browser) to any real-time communications systems for the company, including internal e-mail and instant messaging, must be through a device that has the chosen MDM solution enabled. It was at that point that I informed my manager that I would no longer be checking work e-mail and instant messages on my mobile device unless the company chose to pay for a company-owned device and require that I carry it. My manager told me that he intended to do the exact same thing. Informal surveys of my group show that about 80% of the group are not following work e-mail or IMs when away from work computers. I am happy that this is the case but am also disappointed that the remaining 20% are almost entirely the "burn the candle at both ends" segment of our group and they're forever replying to threads and the like even when off work on weekend or vacation. I have read on multiple places that MDMs on an iPhone have quite restricted access (no SMS/iMessage, pictures, non-MDM e-mail, and the like) unless the device has been wiped and redone under the All Powerful MDM mode but I don't know if those people are correct or if they're all going from the same (possibly inaccurate) source. Therefore, I keep the MDM stuff off of my iPhone because it is mine and I have data from other unrelated projects and companies on it that is none of my employer's business nor theirs to have access to hoover up.

pjmlp 9y ago
> I am happy that this is the case but am also disappointed that the remaining 20% are almost entirely the "burn the candle at both ends" segment of our group and they're forever replying to threads and the like even when off work on weekend or vacation. Really? Off work is off work. The moment I step out the building door, work is done, finished. Want to talk with me? Wait for the following day I am at work. There is nothing the employer can do about it unless it specifically states it on the work contract, most European countries have laws about being contacted after work.
- calciphus 9y ago
  Out of curiosity - do you work in the US, and are you am hourly or exempted worker? Here's my problem: I try to maintain a good work life balance. I devote time outside of work to passions, hobbies and relationships. But I am not dogmatic about hours. My company does not pay me to have my butt in a chair. They pay me to get the job done.
  - pjmlp 9y ago
    In Europe. I am very dogmatic about hours, because when the next layoff round comes, HR won't care 1 second about how much overtime people were doing when considering who to fire.
    - calciphus 9y ago
      That makes total sense. Here, they absolutely care about who worked (unpaid) overtime when deciding who to fire. The people I've seen who are out the door at 5:01 don't survive those transitions. I'll admit to more than a little envy!
- techsupporter 9y ago
  That's exactly what I meant. The 20% who immediately jumped straight into the MDM rollout are the ones who do not have the concept of "not at work." They have two modes: working on e-mail and sleeping.
dreamcompiler 9y ago
Same here. I was a partially remote employee. When my employer mandated MDM and an unworkable VPN for offsite emails I sent my work colleagues a message informing them I could no longer receive corporate email and asked them to contact me at my personal email address. Problem solved, for me. But of course it effectively lowered the company's overall email security posture.
technofiend 9y ago
I bought a Kindle Fire expressly for the purpose of BYOD for my employer's mail client and other productivity apps. It required side loading the play store to make their app store work but keeps any potential MDM from managing or resetting my phone. I feel like that's a reasonable compromise.
RyJones 9y ago
fortunately, my employer will pay for a device. We don't have an MDM - soon we will - but to be honest I can't see allowing BYOD without MDM.
- snvzz 9y ago
  I can't see BYOD with MDM. With MDM, it's not YOD. You're just paying for the corporate device out of your pocket, and there's no certainty you'll ever get it back.
  - RyJones 9y ago
    we agree. I understand why employers require MDM, but I've always had a device that is a work-only silo of apps and authorizations because control of my device is important to me.
awalton 9y ago
Pretty much exactly the same story here, but sadly most of us reading this are in Tech so we know better than to accept a BYOD policy, and our companies are rich enough to accept that and either issue phones or deal with the fact we're going to be out of communication for some period of time. Other industries are not going to give people the choice, and will force these policies on their captive users. So, we need to push back and make MDMs better to protect those users.
ghgr 9y ago
> I would no longer be checking work e-mail and instant messages on my mobile device unless the company chose to pay for a company-owned device Interestingly enough, where I work is unthinkable to check your work email in your personal smartphone, both because workers won't accept working in their free time and because it goes against the company security policy (writing your password in a personal, spyware ridden device? _shrugs_). Maybe we should start outright refusing to perform work activities during personal time.
adrianN 9y ago
Not checking work e-mails or IMs while not on the clock should be the standard practice anyway.

pjmlp 9y ago

> I am happy that this is the case but am also disappointed that the remaining 20% are almost entirely the "burn the candle at both ends" segment of our group and they're forever replying to threads and the like even when off work on weekend or vacation. Really? Off work is off work. The moment I step out the building door, work is done, finished. Want to talk with me? Wait for the following day I am at work. There is nothing the employer can do about it unless it specifically states it on the work contract, most European countries have laws about being contacted after work.

calciphus 9y ago
Out of curiosity - do you work in the US, and are you am hourly or exempted worker? Here's my problem: I try to maintain a good work life balance. I devote time outside of work to passions, hobbies and relationships. But I am not dogmatic about hours. My company does not pay me to have my butt in a chair. They pay me to get the job done.
- pjmlp 9y ago
  In Europe. I am very dogmatic about hours, because when the next layoff round comes, HR won't care 1 second about how much overtime people were doing when considering who to fire.
  - calciphus 9y ago
    That makes total sense. Here, they absolutely care about who worked (unpaid) overtime when deciding who to fire. The people I've seen who are out the door at 5:01 don't survive those transitions. I'll admit to more than a little envy!
techsupporter 9y ago
That's exactly what I meant. The 20% who immediately jumped straight into the MDM rollout are the ones who do not have the concept of "not at work." They have two modes: working on e-mail and sleeping.

dreamcompiler 9y ago

Same here. I was a partially remote employee. When my employer mandated MDM and an unworkable VPN for offsite emails I sent my work colleagues a message informing them I could no longer receive corporate email and asked them to contact me at my personal email address. Problem solved, for me. But of course it effectively lowered the company's overall email security posture.

technofiend 9y ago

I bought a Kindle Fire expressly for the purpose of BYOD for my employer's mail client and other productivity apps. It required side loading the play store to make their app store work but keeps any potential MDM from managing or resetting my phone. I feel like that's a reasonable compromise.

RyJones 9y ago

fortunately, my employer will pay for a device. We don't have an MDM - soon we will - but to be honest I can't see allowing BYOD without MDM.

snvzz 9y ago
I can't see BYOD with MDM. With MDM, it's not YOD. You're just paying for the corporate device out of your pocket, and there's no certainty you'll ever get it back.
- RyJones 9y ago
  we agree. I understand why employers require MDM, but I've always had a device that is a work-only silo of apps and authorizations because control of my device is important to me.

awalton 9y ago

Pretty much exactly the same story here, but sadly most of us reading this are in Tech so we know better than to accept a BYOD policy, and our companies are rich enough to accept that and either issue phones or deal with the fact we're going to be out of communication for some period of time. Other industries are not going to give people the choice, and will force these policies on their captive users. So, we need to push back and make MDMs better to protect those users.

ghgr 9y ago

> I would no longer be checking work e-mail and instant messages on my mobile device unless the company chose to pay for a company-owned device Interestingly enough, where I work is unthinkable to check your work email in your personal smartphone, both because workers won't accept working in their free time and because it goes against the company security policy (writing your password in a personal, spyware ridden device? _shrugs_). Maybe we should start outright refusing to perform work activities during personal time.

adrianN 9y ago

Not checking work e-mails or IMs while not on the clock should be the standard practice anyway.