In this modern world of technological wonders, 24 hour workdays and data coming out of our ears often we find ourselves butting heads with corporate IT groups who are simply trying to keep the company protected. The moment laptops, smartphones, tablets and longer workdays came into our lives is when giant security holes opened in the organization. Worker faster and harder doesn’t help when you accidentally release customer information or prototype info into the public world.
If you’re anything like me, anything that keeps me from doing the work I need to do, when and where I need to do it is something I try to work around. Security that prevents work from getting done is a roadblock. But as with anything there needs to be a balance.
The modern office is a mixed bag of workstyles and preferences. With global collaboration it is almost impossible to work in a fixed spot day in, day out. It’s time to give IT a seat at the business table and allow businesses to be involved in the day to day IT policies. The walled garden approach doesn’t help anyone. If IT doesn’t know what the business issues are then they can’t make the right rules. Similarly, if business units don’t understand the issues that IT is facing everyday they will never be able to find the compromises that need to be made.
It’s time for everyone to come together and forget about the specialized department.