In our last post we discussed the rising trend of small business owners having their employees “bring your own device” (BYOD) to work. This trend has many benefits for small businesses, but also raises some concerns.
Benefits
For the company there are several instantaneous benefits of having employees bring their own electronic devices:
- The bottom line. The company receives the benefits of having the added technology without incurring the cost of supplying all the equipment.
- Shortened learning curve. When employees bring in their own devices, they are already familiar with how they function, which can improve their efficiency.
- Expanded horizons. When employees are bringing their own technologies into the office, the business has an opportunity to experience and learn about other methods of technology and interaction. This introduction can make business owners aware of communication and business possibilities that they never knew existed.
Disadvantages
One of the biggest concerns about BYOD is the ability of the company to manage the use of the employee’s mobile device. In fact, in a recent report on mobile devices, only 51% of IT managers said that they had an effective strategy for dealing with this issue. Some of the biggest challenges include:
- managing the device
- securing the device
- increased need for storage
- increased need for servers
Security remains at the forefront of the worry list, with concerns over the handling of important or sensitive business information. It is vitally important that the company can keep data secure while accommodate the “work anywhere at any time” freedom that BYOD brings.
While there are legitimate concerns, BYOD is a trend that continues to grow. For small businesses that want to keep up with the pace of technology, it is a viable option to help your business grow and thrive.
