E-Handbook: Matching company-issued endpoint devices to worker needs Article 1 of 4

Why endpoint devices can make or break user productivity

When writing by hand, there's nothing worse than a scratchy pen with a half-empty ink cartridge. The result is a scribbled mess of word fragments or a streak of ink smeared across the page. Either way, it's illegible. The writer is likely to throw the pen halfway across the room in frustration.

The perfect pen, however, glides across the page, expels the right amount of ink and fits perfectly in the nook of your hand -- and the words flow seamlessly onto the page.

The wrong endpoint devices can provoke a similarly infuriating and unproductive experience. Employees that work frequently with charts, graphs and word processors would be severely limited working with a smartphone as their only device, or with a device that doesn't support Microsoft Office applications. On the other hand, salespeople and other on-the-go workers would struggle to carry around a bulky, cumbersome desktop in their travel bags.

Choosing smartphones, laptops and printers requires that companies evaluate the needs of their end-user base, including commonly used applications. Then, organizations must match those needs and requirements to the appropriate device, factoring in the device's capabilities, supported operating systems, form factor and cost. When end users are matched with the right device, it can boost productivity for users and ease management for IT.

In this handbook, discover how to properly match users with the endpoint devices they need. Learn about the trend in mobile device convergence and how it can complicate device security. Then, discover how the COVID-19 pandemic can further complicate the endpoint device selection process.

Just like a good pen, the proper device will compel its users to pick it up and start using it.