Codestone

Category: Workforce Mobility

Home working is a more feasible option for workplaces to implement if they are using the cloud, it has been suggested.

Zahl Limbuwala, chartered fellow of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT and chair of its data storage specialist group, said: "Cloud [computing] can potentially offer a greater portability of data for employees and consumers of IT services."

He explained that data can be accessed not only in the office, but also outside, with the use of mobile devices and perhaps with remote access software.

Mr Limbuwala added that the cloud also has "an indirect benefit in terms of time-to-market for businesses needing to deploy or expand rapidly".

Recently, Canalys suggested that as staff increasingly turn to home working, sometimes using mobile devices, IT departments must ensure they have measures in place to protect companies' valuable data.

It said workers are using smartphones and tablet computers more and more, which can potentially threaten firms' security if workers are not careful with their data protection.

Posted by Lara Ward