BYOD: Meaning, Importance and its Benefits

BYOD or Bring Your Own Device is the latest IT trend that has gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown. It allows you to use your personal devices to access the company’s data and systems. It encourages you to bring your own device to the workplace and use it for sending mail, making presentations, connecting with clients, or any other responsibility that your job position demands.
In addition to that, many companies believe that employees must have a say in the technology and tools they use to complete their daily tasks. Therefore, they encourage their workforce to bring their personal devices to work.
But what impact does BYOD have on data security? If you are an IT professional or looking for a career in this field, you will need to understand the impact of BYOD and look for ways to resolve issues arising from it.
Let’s dissect BYOD for a thorough understanding.

What Is the Importance of BYOD Or Bring Your Own Device?

1. Employee Satisfaction

A 2018 Jamf report revealed that 9 out of 10 respondents felt empowered when they chose their own technology. The report titled ‘The Impact of Device Choice on the Employee Experience’ also revealed that 90% of the employees believed in a choice programme that allows them to choose their own devices. They also wished that the choice programme should be a standard procedure in many organisations.
Mainly because having your own device increases efficiency, productivity, and security. It helps you concentrate on your work and not spend time understanding and personalising the device.
Pro-tip: Companies can discuss BYOD with the aspirants during the interview round. They should try to understand their view on using their own technology in the workplace. This will help them understand if productivity and employee satisfaction is correlated to BYOD.

2. Cost Saving

When employees decide to bring their personal devices to the workplace, companies save the capital invested in acquiring, maintaining, and monitoring technology. However, the pressure on the IT department increases because they are tasked with developing a standardised procedure to ensure the online safety and health of the company’s data and applications.
Note: If you decide to use your personal device, you are responsible for repairs or damage caused to the technology. You will have to take care of the device and ensure that it doesn’t cause a hindrance in your work life.
You can stick to the general hygiene and safety instructions your company’s IT department provided to avoid minor security and system-related problems.

3. Increased Productivity

A comfortable employee is expected to be more productive and efficient at tasks. There is a positive correlation between being comfortable in the workplace and productivity. And allowing employees to use their personal devices helps them get closer to being comfortable.

What Are the Advantages And Disadvantages Of BYOD?

Below Are the Top Three Advantages Of BYOD

• Mobility
In the current business milieu, BYOD provides employees and businesses with the luxury of working remotely.

• Security
Employees take adequate steps to ensure their personal data isn’t compromised while bringing their own devices to the workplace. They perform regular scans and checks and install anti-virus and firewall techniques to protect their device. It also helps in safeguarding the company’s vital information and data.

Here Are the Top Three Disadvantages of The BYOD Technique

• Retrieving data
Although BYOD increases employee satisfaction and productivity, it raises questions like what happens when an employee quits the organisation. Who will retrieve company data from your system? It becomes harder for employees in sales or marketing departments with deep access to the company’s resources and information to accumulate and submit all data after quitting the firm.
There’s also the threat of employees misusing company data to gain a competitive advantage in the field.

• Issues related to end-user support
Modern technologies make work easy, but it is sometimes difficult to use. So, when an employee requires support and guidance in handling a complex situation, the IT department needs to step in.

However, due to BYOD, it becomes hard for IT managers to develop a uniform method to solve problems because everyone has a unique situation. So, they must double their hard work and effort while dealing with issues in a BYOD-applied organisation.

How To Work in A BYOD Organisation?

Be careful of the information you share with third-party applications. There are chances that they might misuse your information, and due to a lack of adequate firewall and security measures, you might end up compromising company data.
You can establish a strict security policy approved by your organisation or seek expert advice from the IT department before downloading or using third-party applications.

What Can Companies Do to Protect Their Employee’s Personal Information?

Companies can limit the use of devices. They can provide the list or number of devices the employees can use to access work files.

Moreover, they can encourage employees to configure their machines with complex password protection and follow the best practices laid out by the IT department.

Clear communication among different teams. Being open about issues you face when working on your device is essential. It will help you seek advice and help and strengthen the bond between different teams.
The proliferation of hackers, inevitable human errors, the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) initiative, and the ever-broadening need to share information across all devices have made it important for employees to understand the nature of threats, culprits involved in fraudulent activities, and other dangers of using modern machines.

The most effective way to overcome the dangers of using modern technology is by being well-versed in it. You can pursue comprehensive learning programmes that equip you with the skills and knowledge to tackle modern machines. Perhaps a short-term course for IT professionals using modern technologies daily.

Emeritus India has partnered with renowned Indian universities to provide some of the best IT certification courses designed for working professionals. Our courses will equip you with advanced skills and expand your knowledge of understanding and operating different technology.

Enrolling in our learning programmes will prepare you to secure the highest-paying jobs in India.