As technology costs soar, it makes sense for business owners to allow employees to get as much done as possible on their personal laptops, tablets, and other devices. It frees up desk space, cuts down on utility costs in the office, and keeps in-house IT personnel from having to deal with the various problems and user errors which often plague clunky office computers. Implementing a bring-your-own-device strategy also allows employees to work remotely and integrate work into their personal lives and vice versa.
There are certain issues associated with BYOD in the workplace, of course. Personal devices can be data-cluttered or incapable of performing to the necessary standards, and employees who don’t properly secure their devices against security threats can compromise your network. When properly implemented, however, BYOD can be an incredibly effective strategy for the future of your company and the overall health and happiness of your employees.
BYOD Strategies Increase Overall Productivity
As more and more digital natives (those who grew up in a world with Internet access) enter the workforce, traditional office settings become less and less appealing. There’s a stigma that a BYOD strategy invites employees to flood the workplace with elements of their personal lives, and to a degree, this can be true. Personal laptops, tablets, and smartphones are filled to the brim with aspects of employees’ lives, but it should be noted that a marriage of the personal and professional through technology also has massive benefits: the same employee who occasionally checks Facebook or Twitter at work will also answer your important email ten minutes after you sent it at midnight on a Wednesday.
BYOD policies also allow your business to function even if a skeleton crew is manning the office. Allowing employees to take a weekly remote day is great for both morale and productivity. Rather than sit in the office, employees can look forward to taking their work home or to their favorite coffee shop. Being in a comfortable environment is often just what one needs to find a spark of inspiration.
BYOD Strategies Must Be Implemented Carefully
There are certainly risks to any BYOD strategy. Not all employees have an acute knowledge of digital security threats. Storing privileged information on personal devices may set some managers on edge. Most of these issues can be handled by properly training employees on data security measures and ensuring security measures like virus protection and ad blockers are up to date and enabled. Security awareness training also drastically reduces the risk of falling prey to phishing and online credit card fraud.
A successfully implemented BYOD strategy can be a game changer that seriously raises the ceiling for your business’s success, but it’s not easy to do alone. The best way to minimize risk and maximize rewards is to consult a professional when planning how employees integrate their personal devices into your business. A professional IT service like Hill Country Tech Guys is usually going to be your best bet for such advice; give us a call or send us an email and we can sit down and discuss how to take your business to heights you never believed were possible.