Connecting from Anywhere: 7 Tips for BYOD Integration
BYOD, lots of employees love it, and most employers are frightened of it. If we know our audience, many of you misread this as BYOB and immediately panicked thinking we wanted to get all your employees bringing in the drink!
BYOD has become an essential part of the IT landscape. It stands for “Bring your own Device.” Ever since covid and working from home became the new reality, we’ve seen a massive rise in companies enquiring about the security risks of BYOD and whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Let’s take a deep dive into all things BYOD. From it’s advantages, it’s disadvantages and finally into 7 tips you can utilise to get your business set up for BYOD.
Advantages of BYOD
Let’s start with the positives. Stop us if this has happened to you. You arrive at a new company, you fill out your starter forms, and finally it’s time to start working and you’re handed your new company laptop. A 10-year-old brick that weighs a tonne, sounds like a jet engine and could double up as a sandwich toaster with the heat it gives off. In a perfect world we could all use our own devices that we’ve painstakingly researched and have become comfortable with. But what are the actual benefits of BYOD for business?
- Increased Productivity
Employees tend to be more comfortable with their own tech. A small bit of difference in the positioning and size of a keyboard for example can be annoying to some people. A comfortable employee is a productive employee, and small changes to increase the productivity of your workforce can make a major difference when added together.
- Cost Savings
Rather than purchasing a new set of equipment for every staff member that walks through your door, it can save you money in the long run to simply allow people to use the equipment they already have!
- Reduced Learning Curve
We see it all the time with companies we manage support for. An employee joins who has only had experience using apple software, and doesn’t know their way round a windows. Now do you fire the employee for not sharing your preferences in software? Of course you don’t. With the advent of container solutions like droplet, you can let anyone run your software on whichever operating software they like without wasting precious time on training!
- Flexibility and Work Life Balance
BYOD facilitates greater flexibility in where and when employees work. This flexibility can contribute to better work-life balance, as employees can choose devices that suit their personal preferences and lifestyles.
Wow! So many fantastic benefits. You’ll probably be ready to chuck all the company laptops in the bin and send out an announcement email to the staff. Well hold your horses. Let’s go through the negatives first.
Disadvantages of BYOD
- Security Concerns:
One of the primary challenges is the potential compromise of data security. Personal devices may not have the same level of security features as company-provided devices, leading to an increased risk of data breaches or unauthorized access.
- Data Privacy Issues:
BYOD may raise concerns about the privacy of personal data on employee-owned devices, especially if companies need to implement remote device management solutions.
- Device Compatibility:
Ensuring that a variety of personal devices can seamlessly integrate with company networks, applications, and systems can be challenging. Compatibility issues may arise, requiring additional resources for IT support.
Ok so that’s all the advantages and disadvantages spelled out for you. If you do decide to move ahead with BYOD, here are 7 tips to mitigate the risks, and put you in the best possible position for success.
Tip 1: Establish Clear BYOD Policies
The key to success with any aspect of your business is to set clear and precise guidelines for your staff when it comes to using their own device. Clearly outline what is acceptable, and unacceptable when using a personal device for work purposes. This may include defining appropriate applications and websites during working hours.
You will also need to specify security measures that employees must adhere to. Including the use of passwords and encryption, as well as installing any of the necessary firewalls and anti-virus measures your business has in place.
Tip 2: Implement a Container Solution
If you are keen to have your employees work from anywhere they want, on whichever piece of equipment they want, a container is a key layer of security for your company. An out of the box container like droplet, is like a secure, isolated bubble where your apps and software can operate. It comes preset with loads of cyber security features and allows you to use all kinds of operating software on any device you’d like.
For example, if your team uses windows but all your staff love mac books, then a container like droplet will allow them to use windows apps on their beloved mac.
Tip 3: Provide Employee Training
As with anything else, employee training is the silver bullet to success with BYOD. It’s vital that you inform your team about all the security risks, and the numerous benefits that come with this policy.
You need to ensure that new and old staff members are familiar with the policies and procedures you have put in place. Data handling practices and an understanding of the cyber risks of using your own device is a must, and regular updating on this training is vital.
Employee training is a critical component of a successful BYOD program, promoting a culture of security and responsibility. By providing the necessary knowledge and resources, organisations can empower their workforce to leverage personal devices effectively while minimising potential risks.
Tip 4: Choose Compatible Software
If you are going to avoid a container you are well within your rights, however we do recommend considering it a bit more. If you’re dead set on the non-container path, you need to be aware of the issues you’ll face going forward.
For a starter you will need to ensure your apps and operating systems remain up to date so as to keep them secure. You will also need to choose software based on the ease of using it across your entire team and their various devices.
By providing seamless integration between all your teams devices you’ll be able to ensure a productive work environment.
Tip 5: Remote Device Management
In a BYOD setting, remote device management is a critical element for maintaining control and ensuring the security of personal devices used for work. Organisations need to adopt robust tools and strategies which will enable IT teams to monitor, configure, and troubleshoot devices from a distance. This will allow your IT team to conduct necessary updates, and address security concerns without direct physical access to each device.
This includes capabilities such as remote data wiping in case of loss or theft and real-time monitoring of device security status. By embracing remote device management, organisations can streamline IT operations, enhance security protocols, and provide a seamless experience for employees using their personal devices for work, ultimately contributing to a well-managed and secure BYOD environment.
Tip 6: Balance Flexibility with Control
In a perfect world, you would trust your employees implicitly to follow procedure and security policy to the letter. However the complexity of the BYOD environment introduces much greater potential for good old fashioned human error.
The flexibility you offer your employees with the opportunity to use their own equipment must be tempered with measures ensuring you stay compliant and ensure data security. Mobile device management solutions are a must at the very least, although you need to be vigilant and research other methods for keeping your remote workers devices secure.
Tip 7: Regularly Evaluate your BYOD policies.
In the future, your needs may change. As employees join and your business evolves and develops, it’s important to continually update your BYOD policies to suit the needs of your business.
So there you have it. 7 Tips to begin implementing a strategy to allow your employees to BYOD. Hopefully you found it helpful and as always, feel free to reach out to Jera if you need any advice or help in implementing this or any other part of your IT strategy.