Bringing your own device has become a popular way to work in today’s world. Not only can it potentially help business owners to save money but it can also make sure that all staff members have access to the programs that they need even during off hours. While bring your own device can come with a number of big advantages especially when it comes to working on the go, there are certain vulnerabilities that you can expose yourself to when it comes to adopting a bring your own device policy at your workplace.
- Cost: bring your own device can on occasion end up costing you extra money if you plan on offering a discount on new devices or services for your employees. Purchasing the newest devices for all of your employees can get somewhat expensive and having to implement all of the extra security and guidelines to safeguard those devices can become even more expensive.
- Data security: data security, data loss and vulnerabilities are one of the main aspects that works against BYOD. When employees are able to use their own devices for work as well as bring company data home with them it’s hard to maintain data security. There is no guarantee that your employees will be using their device over a secure network as a result data breaches can become common. Without advanced policy in place it’s also possible that data leaks can occur as a result of your employees sharing information outside of work.
- Privacy: it’s hard to adapt privacy policies when you give employees a device that is to be used for work. The computer that they use for work may well be the same that they use to access all of their personal accounts as well. Bring your own device can lead to a number of privacy issues especially when an employee feels that they are being spied upon during their personal time by your company.
- An agreement in place for dismissal: because employees have their own devices it’s important to have appropriate forms outlining exactly what they can do with that device and whether or not they will be permitted to take the device if they decide to leave the company. Allowing an employee to leave with a device from your company could mean that they have ongoing access to your cloud servers, software licensing through your company and more.
These are some of the big issues that come with bring your own device and they are definitely points to consider if you are thinking of using this model.
Author:
Doug Drummond, Founder of Voodoo Technology Ltd.
Voodoo Technology Ltd is a services-led organisation with a proven track record in delivering superior Data Lifecycle Management, Data Governance and Cyber Security services to clients worldwide.