BYOD: The Pros and Cons of Bring Your Own Device

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is a concept which has been around for several years now. Nevertheless, we feel that it is a topic worth revisiting as the consumer-led IT revolution shows no sign of abating. BYOD is a simple concept, whereby employees bring their own device – laptop, tablet or mobile phone – to work instead of the company supplying them. It grew in popularity as a result of the culture shift that occurred within the field of Information Technology. These days, consumers are increasingly tech-savvy and tend to invest in the latest technology before businesses do. As a result, workers have increasingly sought to bring their own devices to work and, thus, the concept of BYOD was born. Here we will consider the pros and cons of BYOD for anyone unfamiliar with the concept, or those considering implementing a BYOD policy in their workplace.

Pros

Some of the advantages of BYOD may seem obvious, from a business perspective. There is a clear financial incentive for businesses to allow employees to bring their own devices into the workplace. A considerable amount of money can be saved on the cost of hardware when employees supply their own PCs and mobiles. The latest technology can be utilised by businesses, without the capital outlay.

A second benefit is the potential productivity increases that can result from a BYOD policy. Because employees are happy with their own device, and comfortable in its usage, they are likely to work more productively. When users connect their mobile devices to the company network, they are also able to work more flexibly – anytime and anywhere – which itself can increase productivity levels significantly. Also, the ability to use their own device can be of great benefit to disabled employees, or those with special requirements. In some cases, a simple difference such as the colour of the keys on the keyboard, or a different type of screen, can make a big difference to the user’s ability to work efficiently.

Cons

Despite the clear benefits, there are many drawbacks to BYOD. Most of the issues can be addressed, but it will require effective planning, in order to avoid unforeseen problems. Probably the most significant disadvantage of BYOD is the potential security concerns it can bring. If you serious about implementing a BYOD policy, then you need to take measures to protect your company’s data and reduce the risk of malware. You should ensure that you have device management software that allows you to remotely wipe devices. This will protect you against data theft in the event of loss or theft of a device used for work purposes. You may also need to consider having some level of control over what can and cannot be done on your employees’ devices. This in itself, however, presents obvious problems. If your staff have invested their own money in these devices, it is likely that they may have some reservations about their usage being restricted.

There can also be all sorts of problems when employees are using many different devices, with different operating systems and capabilities. You should consider whether your company’s software will be compatible across a wide range of platforms, and whether user collaboration will be impeded. It may be that you have to restrict the type of devices that are allowed under your policy. Some companies, for example, feel that Android devices may be more susceptible to attack, due to its open format. Therefore, they restrict their BYOD policy to Apple devices only.

Then there is the issue of suitability. You would need to ensure that your employees’ chosen devices are appropriate for their specific work. This may mean that you need to restrict certain kinds of devices to certain departments. For example, a tablet may be great for one department and not so effective in others. Equally, there may be some departments where you don’t feel it’s feasible at all for staff to bring their own devices. This is something that you will need to consider before implementing a BYOD, to avoid unnecessary hassle later down the line.

It’s also worth setting guidelines stating who is responsible for repairs and replacement devices – is this covered by the company, or should employees bear the cost of this?

In sum, many companies get positive results from implementing a BYOD policy. However, it is vital to have a well considered strategy beforehand. You should make sure that you set the parameters from the very beginning, to avoid any issues later on. Consider how far within the company your BYOD policy should extend, what devices should be included and whether this will vary between departments. Also, ensure that you have every necessary security measure in place and that your employees are aware of any acceptable usage policy. Given that additional security measures will be necessary, you should factor this in as an additional IT cost that could offset some of the hardware savings you expect to make. On balance, there are more potential drawbacks to BYOD than there are advantages. However, these disadvantages can all be addressed with effective planning so, ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether the pros of BYOD outweigh the cons, in terms of your business.