Many businesses have a love-hate relationship with BYOD. Allowing employees to “bring your own device” has its benefits, but it also gives rise to certain challenges and risks. If you choose to take a BYOD approach to device management, it’s crucial that appropriate steps are taken to strengthen security and protect business productivity.
Whether your employees already use personal devices at work, or you’re considering implementing a BYOD policy, this guide contains everything you need to know.
What is BYOD?
BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device, and refers to a business policy that allows employees to use their own devices in the course of their work. BYOD applies to laptops, tablets, phones, and any other personal devices that an employee uses to perform their role or access company resources.
Whether employees exclusively use their own devices, or occasionally work from a personal phone or laptop alongside a company-issued device, business leaders should employ effective BYOD management to harness the benefits of BYOD while mitigating risks.
The Top 3 Benefits of BYOD
BYOD is most popular among startups and fast-growing companies with limited resources. In these scenarios, BYOD allows new employees to get started quickly, with minimal device-related costs. The 3 main benefits of BYOD are:
1. Productivity
BYOD employees are often more productive when working on a familiar device and operating system. In addition, less training is required as part of the onboarding process.
2. Flexibility
In today’s hybrid and remote work environments, BYOD supports employees to seamlessly switch between devices and locations.