The Risks and Rewards of BYOD

Before the advent of smartphones (and the public’s subsequent obsession with them), office technology was controlled by the IT department. However, now that tech culture has shifted from the educated few to mainstream society, it seems that almost everyone is carrying the latest technology — and they want to bring those devices to work. While there are a number of benefits to allowing employees to use their own laptops and smartphone, there are also some concerns to be addressed.

BYOD Advantages

When looking at the upsides to the bring your own device fad, it’s easy to see why so many businesses have adopted the system. Advantages include:

Reduced Overhead Costs

Since BYOD usually entails the employee paying for most — or all —  of the costs associated with hardware, voice, and data services, companies can end up saving a lot of money. While one might expect employees to oppose such a heavy financial burden, most are happy to do so if it means they can use the devices they favor.

Enhanced Productivity & Efficiency

Mobile devices offer convenience and speed that desktops simply can’t compete with. This mobility allows employees to work whenever and wherever they need. They can do their jobs while traveling, keep up with emails at home, or review important documents at a moment’s notice. They can even take advantage of the added versatility of devices like the 2-in-1 Yoga laptop to go beyond the traditional cash register and carry a mobile point of sale system — allowing them to make transactions outside of the office or store.

Increase in Worker Satisfaction

Employees have strong preferences for almost anything tech related — one only has to ask iPhone or Android to find just how passionate they can be. Allowing workers to use the devices they love rather than saddling them with laptops and mobile devices selected by the IT department is likely to improve their overall satisfaction with your company.

BYOD Disadvantages

Despite the many benefits of BYOD, there are also some troubling downsides, such as:

Security

When IT departments have control of the tech, they also have control over the security systems protecting valuable data. When devices are bought and owned by employees, it’s hard to know what security measures they have in place — firewalls, software, and access codes are completely in their hands. And of course, there’s always the possibility an employee could lose their phone or laptop — putting sensitive company data in serious jeopardy.

Controlling Acceptable Use

Permitting employees to use their own devices means that a company loses some control over the appropriate use of the technology. Company-issued technology comes with an acceptable use policy, whereas personal devices are just that — personal. It’s no simple matter to control how an employee uses their personal device — and telling them what is (or is not) acceptable use of their own laptop or smartphone is tricky.

Compliance & Ownership Issues

Businesses that fall under regulations such as HIPAA have specific requirements in regards to information security and safeguarding data. Those rules must be followed at all times — even if the data is on a device owned by an employee. Furthermore, In the event that a worker is fired or laid off, isolating and recovering company data can be a serious problem.

Creating a Policy

Before employees are allowed to use personal devices, a BYOD policy needs to be developed in order to protect the company. A BYOD policy should:

● require minimum security measures or mandate company-sanctioned security tools as a condition for allowing personal devices to connect to company data and network resources.

● have a well-defined acceptable use clause.

● govern how data will be retrieved from personal devices when/if an employee leaves the company.

While adopting BYOD can save a significant amount of money and raise employee morale and productivity, businesses must take time and serious thought before doing so. Weighing the risks against the rewards is imperative.