Secure Mobile Working Without A Designated IT Specialist
Introduction
When looking for new end devices, ZuBaKa asked the question “Apple or Windows”? Now the non-profit company has more than 20 Chromebooks in use for its permanent employees. One reason: The devices are designed for working in the browser and are ideal in combination with a cloud-based solution such as Google Workspace. Chromebooks allow uncomplicated mobile working from anywhere. Above all, thanks to automatic updates and online-based administration, they are extremely secure and easy to manage – even without in-depth IT knowledge.
About ZuBaKa
ZuBaKa stands for “Zukunftsbaukasten”. It is a non-profit social enterprise based in Frankfurt that runs educational projects in the Rhine-Main and Rhine-Neckar regions. Its primary target group is immigrant children and young people who need language support in order to develop or demonstrate their skills and reach their potential. The team of over 50 consists mainly of student workers (scouts), who are responsible for implementing the projects on site.
The Challenge
As a small team that started, the employees of ZuBaKa initially used personal devices to realise their vision of greater educational equity for children and youth. With the company’s growth, the goal was to replace these with organisation-owned devices. Josephine Würl, Office Manager and Wellbeing Officer, explains: “To work securely from anywhere, we use the cloud-based collaboration solution Google Workspace. We were searching for devices for this purpose. Initially, we looked into Apple and Microsoft, but as a nonprofit organisation, we neither have a large budget nor is our structure suitable for employing an IT specialist.”
The Solution
ZuBaKa opted for the introduction of Chromebooks. Josephine Würl: “I came across this company during my research, and during a consultation, we realised that Chromebooks are exactly what we are looking for”.
Especially in terms of security and management, Chrome OS devices offer many advantages. Devices equipped with the appropriate upgrade can be centrally managed online through the Google Admin Console. Leah Deitermann, Finance & Law, adds: “For example, all linked devices are automatically equipped with Wi-Fi and printer settings. Additionally, we have configured them in a way that only ZuBaKa employees can use them, as an email address with our domain is required”. We also provided admin training and are available for support inquiries.
We found the consultation to be very positive. Our needs were taken seriously at all times.
Results and Benefits
After a short familiarisation period, both users and IT administrators are highly satisfied with the new devices. Thanks to the pre-configured Chromebooks, new employees can start right away, and the easy device management allows for uncomplicated and secure work from anywhere. Josephine Würl is also impressed by the speed, long battery life, and light weight: “You can put the Chromebook in your backpack and hardly even notice you have a laptop with you”.
At the same time, the IT effort remains manageable despite a steadily growing team, leaving enough time for other tasks. Especially when combined with Google Workspace, Chromebooks are the ideal solution for ZuBaKa, particularly for establishing mobile work.
None of us are IT specialists, but managing Chromebooks is incredibly easy and intuitive.
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