Why Should Companies Implement A BYOD Policy?

Technological advances and the emergence of a young and skilled technology workforce paved the way for the emergence of new trends in the workplace. Among the most popular trends in recent years is BYOD or Bring Your Own Device. BYOD is a policy that organizations are increasingly adopting and that encourages employees to bring and use their own devices at work.

This trend recently gained prestige with the widespread use of mobile devices, the familiarity of employees with the latest technologies and their willingness to work remotely (telecommuting). According to one study, 61% of the Y generation and 50% of employees over 30 years of age believe that the technological tools they use in their daily lives are more effective than those provided by their IT departments.

The definition of BYOD is constantly changing as organizations progressively adapt to new dynamics in the workplace. For example, BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology), BYOA (Bring Your Own Application) and BYOS (Bring Your Own Software). What these policies have in common is the willingness of companies to be more flexible by allowing their employees to work with their own tools, be it hardware or software.

In a modern working environment, an employee expects to use his own computer, laptop, mobile device or tablet to perform his daily activities. On the other hand, the departments to communicate and collaborate daily also use chat applications progressively.

What Are The Benefits Of Implementing A BYOD Policy?

1) Cost Savings

The cost of buying IT hardware and software represents a large part of a company’s budget. According to Gartner, global IT spending is expected to grow 3.2%, that is, from 3.7 trillion dollars in 2018 to 3.8 trillion dollars in 2019. This growth is not expected to slow down, since that as new technologies are coming to the office, there is more pressure on companies for their implementation.

The adoption of a BYOD policy, therefore, will allow companies to reduce spending on business technologies and training. According to a Cisco report, cost savings can reach $ 350 per employee / year, with reactive programs that reduce spending up to $ 1,300 per employee / year. This can have a positive effect, especially for SMBs, which have more limited budgets.

2) A More Committed Workforce

The new generation of workers (Millennials and Generation Z) expects flexible working hours and being able to work from different places. This requires high performance tools similar to those used in your personal life. The inability to provide such tools or impose new ones can have a negative impact on their level of commitment and wellbeing.

A BYOD policy helps keep your workforce engaged and allows them to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life, as they will work with devices and solutions with which they are familiar. In fact, according to a research study conducted by IDG research services, 78% of employees believe that using a single device helps them balance their personal and professional lives.

3) More Control

The absence of flexible policies and a clear IT strategy and vision can lead to unwanted practices in the workplace. If employees do not see real value in the systems and tools they have, they tend to use theirs but without the knowledge of the IT department. This can lead to complications in companies, from the inability of the IT department to control the software in use to compliance problems and the costs associated with data loss.

Adopting a BYOD policy can reduce these complications. At the end of the day, employees will continue to use their own devices, regardless of their IT policies. In fact, according to a Microsoft study, 67% of people use their personal devices at work, regardless of the organization’s official BYOD policy. The study also found that employees (especially Millennials) tend to use their devices even within companies with strict IT policies.

This means that the best option for companies is to listen to their workforce and be flexible in their approach. In this way, they can adequately control both the hardware and software in use and be able to properly plan long-term IT strategies.

4) More Productivity

Giving employees the freedom to use their own devices and work from anywhere can increase their productivity. According to a study by BT Global Services, 42% of employees who use their personal devices say their productivity has improved.

Another study by BMC states that BYOD employees are more productive with an additional 2 hours a day and 20 more emails.

5) No Specific Training Is Necessary

By introducing new technology to their workforce, IT departments often face the same challenges. One part of the employees has more difficulty learning the technology and the other probably has better technology of its own. Both parties need intensive training to learn how to use it and often rely on the IT department to answer their questions. A BYOD policy can minimize training, as employees are familiar with their own devices and this allows IT teams to focus on more strategic tasks.

The software and the application are policies that are increasing over the years. Although they bring countless benefits to an organization, they can pose certain problems, especially in terms of security and compliance. A well thought out and implemented BYOD policy that takes into account the nature of the company, the permitted devices and available applications would mitigate these risks and help to commit and retain its workforce.