Is BYOD Right for You?
Are you delighted that your employees want to use their own, already purchased, mobile devices for business as well as personal transactions... and assume that cost savings will be achieved as a result? The long term risk and costs may be greater than you imagine!
If employees are allowed free rein in choosing which cell phones, laptops, or tablets they use, it can become an IT management nightmare. Multiple support solutions are often needed to connect each to your network and provide workers access to specific applications.
Security may be an even bigger issue. A majority of BYOD users are seeking more and easier access. They believe that using their own devices will free them from antivirus/firewall software and browser settings that will slow them down... and that they can use whatever applications they want. Putting your company's confidential data at risk by using weak passwords and questionable global ID's is not usually of great concern to them. In instituting related company-wide policies, it is more likely that employees will worry more about challenges to their own privacy. Have you considered how you will handle the company information on a BYOD if an employee leaves the company, or if the device is lost or stolen? Do your policies allow for the device to be remotely wiped clean, destroying the employee's personal data along with that related to the company?
No BYOD strategy fits every company, no more than there is a universal policy manual. For technical options within your budget, it is recommended that you first seek the advice of an expert such as Alan Buckwalter of Jefric Consulting:
201-370-6430
917-837-3535 (cell)
Then, contact this office or your favorite employment attorney to amend your employee policies to fit.