Here are some common pros and cons for BYOD in the workplace that can help you determine how you should approach this new trend.

Advantages of Using Personal Devices for Work

Personal Devices are Cheaper than Company-Bought Devices

At the end of the day, certain decisions really do come down to the bottom line, and buying a lot of computers, tablets and/or smartphones is a costly endeavor, and it can cost even more if you want them properly encrypted for remote work.  As such, you could potentially save a lot of money not implementing these devices if your employees are careful, but that is not always the case.

Work Can Be Easier to Do at Home

Depending on what programs you use in your office, using a personal computer or tablet if a colleague is working remotely or is home sick can keep them up-to-date with what everyone else is doing in the office.
We provide several cloud storage services and ransomware backup options that can help keep your employees stick with their tasks outside of the office as safely as possible. As such, your staff will always be able to stay on the same page even if the entire team isn’t in that day.

Easier to Contact Your Colleagues

The personal devices we use in our daily lives, whether it’s a smartphone, laptop or tablet, all provide us access to one another. It can make it easier to contact your employees or colleagues even when away from the office.
For workplaces that require constant communication and levels of approval in assignments, using personal devices can shorten the wait time for moving to the next step. Technology can be incredibly useful for productivity when it is properly utilized in and outside the office, with many messaging applications like Slack or time management applications like Asana.

Disadvantages of Using BYOD

Easier to Distract Colleagues

Personal devices in the workplace can lead to employees potentially distracting each other when work needs to be done. If you notice more than a few chuckles coming from a text message chain, or a subordinate showing their coworkers an inappropriate video, chances are you’ll be disappointed at the lack of productivity in the office. It can be a tricky line to balance, as policing what can and cannot be used on their personal devices can lead to resentment in the office, even if they know it’s the right thing to do.

Work Can Be Harder to Monitor Properly

If someone were to bring in a personal laptop to use rather than a standardized work computer, you will have to instill a lot of trust in the employee that they are not using the computer the same way they would in their leisure. While you are focused on getting all of your assignments done and making sure your team is staying on the right track, the last thing you will want to see is them updating their fantasy football team.

Personal Devices Are Riskier to Use Without Proper Security Measures

There are many ways a device can be corrupted or hacked into, and the risk is higher when it is a personal device that is not attuned to the level of security a business would want from its devices. We have gone through several ways these devices can be hacked into, and with CorCystems Managed IT Services you’ll be better equipped to fight these shady tactics, even on your staff’s personal devices.

The biggest risk that any organization will have if deciding whether or not to adopt a company-wide strategy for BYOD will center around data security. While the flashiest headlines focus on compromised data breaches through some weak point in a company’s IT infrastructure, a more prevalent—and less reported—risk is simply losing company data. Lax data governance policies don’t mix well with employee incompetence or errors. In this latter instance, the causes are non-malicious, but no less detrimental to a company’s bottom line.

The more malicious risks can take many forms, including:

• Access to devices is either lost, stolen, or unauthorized
• Storing work passwords on personal devices
• Endpoint security and compliance for personal devices that are accessing the company’s network
• Using work email for personal online activities
• Cyber attacks, malware intrusions, and fake apps or scams
• Unauthorized sharing of work documents using cloud-based service

Overall, BYOD in the workplace can increase worker productivity and flexibility while decreasing a company’s hardware expenses. Alternatively, BYOD requires businesses to spend resources implementing device and server-side security protocols and internal data governance policies.

Need Help Maintaining the IT at Your Office?

CorCystems Managed IT Services specializes in a variety of different managed IT solutions for businesses in Fairfield and Westchester Counties. Whether you need to provide your team with the proper cybersecurity training for BYOD safety or need a new strategic IT business plan, we’re your trusted IT company. We can also answer any of your questions on how to maintain a safe and productive work environment. To learn more about our services, please reach out to us today! You can contact us at (203) 431-1341.