Now, there is certainly nothing surprising here. Apple users are passionate about their beloved devices. But here is where the findings take an unexpected turn:
In fact, 83% of respondents in the job roles of IT and HR felt that using a Mac was critical to their job function. This sentiment was expressed by 79% of respondents across the board.
Regardless of their job role, these Mac users recognized the value that their Mac brought to their job roles. Some of their stated benefits of using a Mac included the following:
When asked to compare the usability of their Mac versus a PC, 89% stated that Mac applications are easier to use than Windows applications. Ease of use translates into greater productivity, which feeds greater innovation.
While some may still cling to the idea that PCs offer a greater enterprise application selection, this outdated notion is not experienced by Mac users. 94% of respondents said it was very or moderately easy to find Mac applications and other resources that pertained to their job functions. Nearly 2 in 3 leverage the App Store to find the applications they need. It wasn’t just choice that Mac users appreciated, however. 89% agreed that Mac applications are easier to use than applications on PCs.
Of course, performance and app selection mean very little if your computer isn’t functioning correctly. Here is what reliability looks like:
Anyone familiar with helpdesk operations knows how disruptive and costly computer problems are for a business. But don’t loop Mac in the same pool as PCs when it comes to performance irregularity. 74% of those survey participants stated that they experienced less problems with their Mac than a previous PC. Reliability was the second most touted reason amongst participants for using a Mac.
Most would agree that having a choice of options is a good thing. There are endless examples of businesses that discovered new opportunities by opening themselves up to new ways of doing things. Yet, so many enterprises today continue to only offer PCs to their employees.
Employees are like everyone else—they value choice. In fact, 94% of workers say they are more likely to choose an employer who offers an employee device choice program.
Some may scoff that these preferences attribute to the greater familiarity of Mac users who exclusively use Apple products at home. In actuality, this is good thing. Wouldn’t you want your employees to use the same technology platform that they openly embrace and prefer in their personal lives? The familiarity and personal devotion that Mac users have to the Apple line of products will most likely encourage them to utilize these devices even more. Having a consistent computer platform at home and work eliminates the frustration of learning curves whenever new product features and updates are released.
Mac isn’t just about individual choice and user preferences. IT admins will appreciate the greater manageability offered today with Apple products. IT can now automate zero-touch deployments for Mac by configuring their MDM system for Auto Advance. Upon arrival, simply power up your newly ordered Mac with an Ethernet connection and it will automatically locate the MDM solution assigned to it. Settings are then configured in the background, eliminating the need for setup assistant screens. Users only need to enter a username and password to begin working.
MDM management doesn’t end with deployments, however. Some of the other capabilities include the following.
Mac offers best-in-class security thanks to the combination of its new Apple M1 chip and new Big Sur macOs®, which MacWorld touts as the biggest design upgrade since the introduction of Mac OS X. Enhanced security includes secure boot, automatic high-performance encryption for all files and new cryptographically signed system volumes that protect against malicious tampering. The software update processes now take place in the background, ensuring that the OS remains secure and up to date.
Freedom of choice isn’t just about Windows or Mac. Apple offers different platform options for Mac users as well so that companies can match each job role with the device that also works for departmental budgets as well.
With all of these benefits and user accolades, the question is no longer “should we offer Mac to our employees?” The clear question is now, “why would we not offer Mac to our employees?”
NEXT STEPS: We’ve compiled all the Apple best practices, important questions to ask and the critical details for offering Mac as a Choice in your organization in our eBook below, “An IT Leader’s Guide to Preparing for Apple in the Enterprise.” Click below to start reading, and then contact us with all your Apple questions. WEI is an Apple Authorized Reseller and we’re here to help!
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