Bring Your Own Device Workplaces: Pros and Cons

As an employer, you really have three choices when it comes to smart devices — buy them, reimburse employees for the cost of using their own, or do nothing. Yes, the third is still an option! Legally, employers do not have to provide any financial compensation to employees who use their own devices. 

However, in an era where every device that can access your systems and data represents a potential entry point for hackers, a BYOD environment also has some serious drawbacks for businesses. So in this blog, let’s explore the pros and cons of each possible solution.

Recent Statistics on BYOD Policies

Here’s an overview of the current state of BYOD policies across most businesses: 

• Over 80% of organizations use BYOD
• Only 14% of organizations report not experiencing resistance to BYOD adoption
• 68% of organizations report improved employee productivity as a result of implementing BYOD policies
• More than 90% of security incidents involving lost or stolen devices resulted in an unauthorized data breach

The Advantages of BYOD Programs

It’s hardly a slam dunk, but there’s a reason BYOD policies remain so popular: 

• Reduced costs 
• Employees are naturally incentivized to keep devices up-to-date and secure
• Employees can use the devices they prefer 
• Less training is required  

What Are the Negatives of BYOD?

There are fewer negatives to having a BYOD policy. However, the first one is a biggie:

• There’s a greater cybersecurity risk 
• Having a wide variety of devices might cause compatibility issues and additional complications
• When an employee leaves the company, proper offboarding can be a challenge 

Company-Owned Devices: Pros and Cons

It might make the most sense to bite the bullet and purchase smart devices for your employees. 

Here are the pros:

• You’ll get bulk savings on hardware and service plans
• Standardizing devices makes them easier to support and manage 
• It’s easier to wipe data on a lost or stolen device that you own 
• You retain control of the device, its data, and a phone number associated with it 
• There’s less conflict about using a business-owned device and its plan for business purposes 

And here are the cons: 

• Smart devices can be very expensive
• You’ll have to provide more training
• Employees may not be as careful with company property
• You might not be able to accommodate individual device preferences

The Middle Ground: Reimbursement 

Employers that want to encourage employees to use their mobile devices for work — but are not interested in managing the purchase and usage of the devices — often choose to offer some monthly reimbursement. This approach often makes the most sense for employers with a small number of employees who frequently use their personal phones for business. 

Here are the pros: 

• It’s easier to budget 
• Employees get control over the plan, phone, and apps they want 
• There’s less conflict about business vs. personal use
• Employees have fewer devices to carry around and maintain

However, this middle-ground option has many of the same cons as a BYOD program: 

• There’s a greater cybersecurity risk 
• Having a wide variety of devices presents more compatibility issues and additional complications
• Offboarding can be challenging, however, generally speaking, some reimbursement 

Mobile Device Management Software and Solutions for Every Workplace

No matter which path your organization chooses, you should create a mobile device policy that sets guidelines on employee use. 

Your policy should include: 

• Security rules and requirements, including how staff should handle different types of data on their devices 
• Which devices can access your network, systems, and data 
• Any apps or devices you’d like to prohibit 
• Any security features or apps that you’d like to require 
• Offboarding policies
• Additional security rules and legal constraints specific to your industry or location

Software That Simplifies Mobile Device Management (MDM)

Microsoft Intune, a component of Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS), is a cloud-based MDM solution that makes it much easier for businesses to secure and oversee mobile devices and applications. 

While Intune isn’t the only mobile device management app on the market, it’s one of the best, thanks to Microsoft's substantial cybersecurity infrastructure and research. Plus, it comes bundled with various Microsoft 365 subscription packages and can be purchased as an add-on for other licensing plans. And as a Microsoft Solutions Partner, we’re able to provide best-in-class pricing and support. 

Click the link to do a deeper dive on this game-changing app!