Wikipedia defines BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) as “the policy of permitting employees to bring personally owned devices (laptops, tablets, and smart phones) to their workplace, and to use those devices to access privileged company information and applications.” The logic behind this trend is that employees are bringing their devices to work anyway, so why not let them work with the technology they are most comfortable using?
There are many advantages to adopting a BYOD policy at your company. It’s a great way to save money and there’s no learning curve for your employees. Research has shown that some workers are happier and more productive when using their own phones, tablets and laptops. Like all business practices, there are downsides to BYOD, such as security risks, that should be carefully considered before making a final decision.
If you are ready to implement BYOD at your company, here are a few tips to get started:
- Survey your employees to get an understanding of who would like to participate in the new BYOD plan and which devices they would like to use. Ensure you have a backup plan for employees who do not wish to participate or when employee devices are failing.
- Have a clear and thorough BYOD policy that includes topics such as proper usage, security and equipment.
- Review your BYOD policy every few months and keep it updated as circumstances evolve and change.
- Ensure your IT department or consultant has the knowledge and experience to support a wide variety of devices.
- Upgrade to cloud technology to support your BYOD efforts. Teltek’s Nebulosity Voice Cloud PBX allows your team to work from remote locations while remaining connected to the same office telephone system.
Don’t have an IT department to rely on? Teltek can help! Call us today at 1-866-9-TELTEK for consulting and equipment expertise.