More and more businesses are starting to consider adopting the Bring Your Own Device policy. This is where they allow employees to bring their own devices to work instead of having to provide computers for them to use. Many employers believe that this would save them a lot of money, but there are pros and cons to this kind of policy. Here’s what you should know.
Pro: Employees Are Familiar With The Devices
When a new employee is hired, time and money have to be spent training them with the programs being provided on the computer they’re given. They don’t know where to find files, and it generally takes them a much longer time to get anything done. However, with their own devices, they’re already familiar with how everything is set up. They’re much more efficient at their jobs and there is a reduced need to seek the assistance of managed IT services Perth in order to integrate a new employee more quickly.
Con: Company Is Opened Up To Liability
When you provide computers to your employees, they’re all installed with exactly the same software so that you know they’re all going to have the same security measures. But with BYOD, you have no idea how secure an employee’s computer is, so there’s an increased risk of data being stolen. There’s also the added risk of your employee using their computer for personal uses; would you be liable down the road if those actions end up being illegal?
Pro: Financial Savings Are Involved
It can be difficult and expensive to purchase all the computers you need, have them set up with the right software, and have a server room installed so that the contents can all be backed up. Allowing employees to bring their own computers to work saves on a lot of those costs, and employees are more likely to take care of their own devices than they would work computers that they’re using at the office.
Con: Retrieving Data After Contract Termination
When an employee has been terminated, you have to take the extra steps to have the company’s private information removed from their computer. They could misuse that information for their own gains, which would spell bad news for your company. You should have a plan set out before the hiring process to ensure that such data is removed when their contract is terminated to protect yourself in the future.
Still unsure as to whether the BYOD policy is right for you? Before implementing it, you should consider drafting up a plan first to see how easy it would be to implement and what steps you’d have to take to protect yourself from future liability. Having a solid policy in place will make the process much smoother, as well as informing new employees of what this policy is so that they can adhere to it as needed. The only way this kind of policy can succeed is if everyone is on board with it.
