Many of us are carrying a video camera in our pockets and purses, and can have it in hand in seconds. We love the ease of connecting with our loved ones, not only hearing their voices, but looking into their eyes as well. Mobile video’s pervasiveness has increased our personal comfort level exponentially. The ease and availability of video calling, both within social media platforms that we use daily and in apps on our phone that are just a press of the finger away, is just one reason we’re becoming more comfortable. With a rise in BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) culture in business, many of us would feel comfortable taking video calls on our iPads, laptops, and mobile phones while working. The question is whether or not these consumer grade services can meet enterprise communication standards for security and privacy.

Social, Mobile, Analytics, and Cloud (SMAC) have created an “always on” and “always connected” environment for enterprise. In an age of daily data breaches, businesses are more apt to put stringent guidelines in place, and the desire to limit or ban employee use of personal devices for work may be strong, albeit unrealistic. Even with the rules firmly in place, consumer tools are bleeding into our organizations. More often than not, employees are using consumer tools, not because they intend to leak valuable company information, but simply because they are familiar and simple to use.

Today’s workforce is experiencing a shift where work can be done at any time, and from anywhere. Remote work opportunities are more common, and employees who find themselves traveling, or working from the home office, are still able to be productive thanks to cloud solutions and mobile connectivity. Shadow IT, the practice of using technology tools, applications, and software without the knowledge or approval of the IT Department, leads to more and more consumer grade tools weaving their way into the fabric of our business world — whether we want them there or not.