A decade ago, life in the office was simpler. Employees worked on computers that were provided by their employers, answered and made calls on company mobile phones, and complied with relatively simple rules set forth by IT administrators and their CIOs. Workers were normally restricted from using their own mobile devices or laptops, letting IT departments keep a tight grip on who could use the office network.
Then Apple unveiled the iPhone and changed the world. Soon came a slew of other mobile devices and apps that enabled people to do both personal and professional tasks anywhere, anytime.
In light of these technological developments, organizations started implementing “bring-your-own-device” (BYOD) policies. While BYOD has many advantages, it also has some drawbacks. Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of implementing and enforcing a BYOD policy.
The Good
Increased employee productivity
Implementing a BYOD policy will increase employee productivity and flexibility, as they can work on their devices whenever and wherever there is an internet connection.
The same would be true if you purchased staff smartphones and tablets with company money, but if employees have a personal device and a work device, the latter is usually left at home. Then all the added productivity of mobile access to work is lost.
Elevated employee morale
Outdated and inefficient workstations will make employees complete tasks slower and impact their morale. Users want a bit of freedom to customize their devices, and this will make them feel like their bosses are treating them with respect and trust.
Implementing a BYOD policy lets employees use devices they are already familiar with. They won’t spend time learning how to operate their tools, allowing them to get more work done.
Less spending on IT equipment
Before smartphone prices came down, employers had to pay out of pocket to keep their team connected. Today, over 77% of Americans have their own mobile device, and most prefer to use them for work. BYOD policies allow you to cut back on hardware expenses as well as cellular fees. Also, the firm will not be responsible for fixing an employee’s device if it breaks, which translates to more savings for you.
Aside from these benefits, employees can upgrade and update their devices themselves, giving your IT support team more time to work on company-owned devices.
The Bad
Issues with compliance management
Companies in health, finance, and other regulated industries find it especially difficult to manage information security if they have BYOD policies. From remotely erasing data to prohibiting any app that isn’t on a whitelist, compliance requires several mobile device features that many people are unwilling or unable to manage on their personal device. Failure to comply with these policies could mean major legal penalties.
Less security controls
If your workers are allowed to bring their devices to the office, your IT support team will not have control over the apps or files your employees download. Any file on the employee’s device that contains malware can spread through your wireless and infect desktops and servers.
Additionally, if a staff member quits, all the sensitive information on his or her device must be recovered before it leads to a data breach. Your IT department would have a much easier time securing sensitive information If it were stored on a company-provided device. This is one reason why some companies prefer to limit user access to applications and documents hosted in the cloud by a reputable managed services provider (MSP).
Even if BYOD policies improve employee flexibility, are you willing to compromise your firm’s network security?
Should your business implement and enforce a BYOD policy?
There are significant hurdles to overcome when implementing BYOD policies, but companies can take advantage of its cost-saving and productivity-boosting benefits as long as they have the right tools and IT support. A good way to start is educating your workforce on how to keep their devices compliant with business’s security policies.
Vodigy Networks provides businesses with objective-driven and streamlined IT solutions to help them meet their goals. Ready to boost your company’s efficiency and profitability? Give us a call today!
