It’s 2025, and your team isn’t chained to desks anymore. They're answering emails from airport lounges, hopping on Zoom calls from hotel lobbies, and reviewing files from coffee shops with questionable Wi-Fi. It’s the dream of flexibility, but it’s also a nightmare for cybersecurity.
When your employees carry sensitive company data on their phones and laptops, every misplaced device becomes a potential breach. And let’s face it: people lose stuff. Phones get left in Ubers. Laptops vanish from café tables. One small slip-up can cost your business big.
But here’s the good news: You don’t have to choose between flexibility and security.
Let’s walk through 5 smart, simple ways to keep your team’s mobile devices protected, so a lost phone doesn’t turn into a company-wide catastrophe.
1. Put Mobile Device Management (MDM) to Work
Why it matters:
You can’t secure what you can’t control. And without MDM, your IT team is crossing their fingers, hoping every device is safe.
What it does:
Mobile Device Management empowers your IT team to enforce security settings, install critical updates, remotely wipe lost devices, and separate work data from personal data. Think of it as your behind-the-scenes control center for every company-connected phone and laptop.
PCS Pro Tip:
If your team is using personal devices for work (BYOD), MDM is a non-negotiable requirement. It's the only way to protect company data without invading their privacy.
2. Require MFA on Everything (Yes, Everything)
Why it matters:
Passwords are the equivalent of locking your door, but MFA (multi-factor authentication) adds an extra layer of protection on top of it.
What it does:
With MFA, even if someone steals a password, they’ll need a second form of verification (like a code sent to a phone or authentication app) to get in.
PCS Pro Tip:
Don’t let your team whine about “extra steps.” One extra step now is better than explaining a data breach later.
3. Use a Business VPN—Not Just “Hotel Wi-Fi”
Why it matters:
That free Wi-Fi at the beachside café? It might be free... for hackers too.
What it does:
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts all data traveling between your employees’ devices and your company systems. That means even if someone’s snooping on public Wi-Fi, they can’t read a thing.
PCS Pro Tip:
Make VPN use mandatory outside of the office, and configure devices so they automatically connect to your business VPN.
4. Auto-Lock, Encrypt, and Track
Why it matters:
Stolen or lost devices happen. What matters is how fast you can shut them down.
What it does:
Encryption scrambles data so even if a laptop is stolen, the info inside is useless. Auto-lock ensures devices don’t sit open and exposed. Tracking tools like “Find My Device” let you act fast when something goes missing.
PCS Pro Tip:
Combine this with MDM, and you’ve got a remote “kill switch” for any device that vanishes.
5. Train Your Team Like They’re the First Line of Defense (Because They Are)
Why it matters:
Even with all the tech in the world, a careless click or lost phone can undo everything.
What it does:
Cybersecurity training helps your team spot phishing attempts, understand safe practices, and know exactly what to do if a device is lost or stolen.
PCS Pro Tip:
Make security training part of onboarding and offer quick refreshers quarterly, especially before peak travel seasons.
The Threat Travels with You
Your team may not be in the office, but your risk is. Every phone, laptop, or tablet they carry is a potential entry point for hackers. But with the right tools and strategy, you can secure your business without putting your team in a tech straitjacket.
PCS can help you implement mobile device management, layer on encryption, and give your team the tools (and training) to stay safe, wherever they go.
Want to protect your employees and your data on the move? Start with a Free Network Assessment!