What Is BYOD?
The traditional workplace is quickly becoming a thing of the past. One policy gaining rapid popularity is Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), which refers to employees bringing their personal devices (such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets) into the workplace and using those devices to access their company’s data, systems, and applications. There are various advantages and disadvantages of BYOD programs. We’ve outlined a few of them for you!
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Advantages of BYOD
- Reduced Costs: Although not every organization will see cost savings from a BYOD program, many organizations will save money because they don’t have to purchase devices for each employee. Plus, employees are generally more likely to take better care of their own devices, which saves money on repairs. Organizations that purchase smartphones with voice and data plans for their employees may benefit from additional cost savings.
- Increased Employee Satisfaction & Productivity: Another advantage of BYOD programs is increased employee productivity. This is due to the fact that users are more comfortable and familiar with their personal devices. Employees can take full advantage of their device and its features because they are an expert at navigating the device. Generally, employees will be more satisfied because they have the opportunity to select the device that they prefer, rather than having one selected for them. Plus, employees are more likely to check their email and work at night if they are on their own devices.
- Increased Flexibility: Another advantage of BYOD programs is the flexibility that they offer. They offer new mobile workforce opportunities, as employees can work anywhere at any time. With increased flexibility, organizations are more likely to attract more top-performing employees.
Disadvantages of BYOD
- Security: One of the biggest challenges of BYOD programs is the issue of security. Employees will be accessing sensitive information on their personal devices, and managing security on personal devices can be difficult. When a company owns the device, they can dictate how the device will be used by blocking certain websites and monitoring activity if necessary. One security-related challenge is ensuring all of the personal devices are protected from malware, especially if they are connecting to the Internet from private and public locations all over the world.
- Supporting Various Devices: When companies own their devices, they have the benefit of selecting a small number of devices to support. This makes it significantly easier on the IT department because they can become familiar with the devices. With the need to support various devices and operating systems, companies may need to increase their IT staff for additional support. It can also be more difficult to quickly and efficiently download software updates and security patches on various devices.
- Scalability: Another challenge of BYOD programs is the issue of scalability. Many employees use multiple personal devices, and many organizations simply don’t have the network infrastructure required to handle all of the extra traffic.
Is BYOD The Right Choice?
There are various advantages and disadvantages of BYOD programs, but whether it is a good fit for your company will depend on your individual organization. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. To implement a successful BYOD program, you should ensure you have:
- A clear BYOD policy in place with a defined security policy
- The IT overhead to support various devices
- And the infrastructure scalability to handle increased traffic
A Hybrid Option
Another flexible option for organizations is a hybrid program in which some employees receive company-owned devices, while others are allowed to use their personal devices. This allows organizations to provide devices for employees who may need to access sensitive data; employees who aren’t likely to access sensitive data may be able to use their own devices without increased security risks.
If you need help deciding whether a BYOD program is the right fit for your organization or you need help ensuring you have the security and scalability needed for a BYOD program, give the experts at RTI a call! We can help you weigh the pros and cons plus ensure your organization is equipped for success.
Date Posted: 7/26/18
Date Last Updated: 6/17/20
By: RTI Marketing Team
Riverside Technologies, Inc. (RTI) specializes in managed services, IT hardware, warehouse services, and technology deployment.
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1 Comment
Sherry Gajos · September 7, 2018 at 1:41 pm
I liked what you said about how a BYOD program can often help an organization see cost savings since they don’t have to purchase devices for each individual. My cousin is working to revamp his company and is considering this program to cut down some costs. Thank you for the information about how employees are also more likely to take better care of their own devices, which will also save money on repairs.
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