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What is a BYOD policy?

A bring your own device (BYOD) policy is an agreement between the employer and employee that lets employees use their own devices for work.

Many of us end up using our own devices for work without even realising it – whether it’s checking work emails on your phone over the weekend or doing late-night presentations on your laptop. 

For many employees, using their own devices is more convenient than carrying multiple phones around or switching laptops from personal to business use. While there are many benefits to adopting this way of working, businesses should be mindful of some of the risks and work to eliminate these by implementing a BYOD policy. 

BYOD policy

How does a BYOD policy work?

A BYOD policy outlines guidelines for the use of personal devices for work. It gives the employer clarity on the expectations and rules around using their own device and the company a level of control and security.

This type of policy would usually be a document created as part of the HR process and given to employees when they join a company or pass their probation period. 

The advantages of a BYOD policy

There are many advantages to introducing a BYOD policy in the workplace. Here, we outline a few to consider.

Potential cost savings

One of the most compelling advantages of BYOD is its immediate cost-saving potential. It eliminates the need for businesses to allocate substantial budget towards purchasing mobile devices for each employee. Instead, they can leverage the devices already owned and familiar to each individual. This arrangement proves beneficial for both parties: employees can utilise their preferred devices, while businesses avoid the expense of giving an entire workforce new gadgets.

Increased flexibility

Using our own devices for work gives us way more flexibility in terms of where and when we can get things done. Being away from the office doesn’t hold us back anymore when it comes to working efficiently and staying in touch with our coworkers.

Device familiarity

BYOD policies offer the freedom for individuals to use devices they’re most comfortable with, eliminating the need to teach everyone to use a specific device or operating system.

So whether someone is pro iphone or a loyal Samsung mobile user, they can use the device they prefer and feel most comfortable with.

While people eventually adapt and learn new systems, it’s about streamlining the process as much as possible. This flexibility can significantly enhance efficiency, enabling new employees to dive right in without extensive training on devices and systems.

Things to consider before you implement a BYOD policy

While there are many benefits of implemting this type of policy in your business, it is also important to consider the risks and work on plans to mitiagte these before rolling this out in your business. 

Avoiding potential security threats

Letting employees use their personal devices for work can expose a business to security threats and vulnerabilities. However, by implementing measure like device authentication, company access rights and employee off-boarding plan, a lot of those risks can be mitigated and controlled. 

Supporting multiple systems and devices

When everyone uses the same device and systems, IT support becomes considerably simpler. However, when there are various device types in use, it places additional pressure on IT support to stay constantly updated on the functionalities of each device and the common issues associated with them.

Uses a system compatible across devices

A crucial aspect to consider when opting for a BYOD way of working is ensuring compatibility across all devices. It’s essential to find systems, like your phone system, that seamlessly operate on desktops and mobiles so everyone can work efficiently. 

eve is accessible from anywhere on any device, making it the perfect match for businesses wanting to use BYOD.

Further reading

The National Cyber Security Centre provide some useful advice for businesses on how to develop a BYOD policy that includes 5 actionable steps to take to put in place your own policy.