Is BYOD Right For You?

What's the Goal of Mobile?

We've talked about mobile before. (Who isn't talking about mobile these days?) But we want to emphasize that the goal of a good mobile program isn't being able to work from anywhere. The goal of a good mobile program is to be able to work seamlessly from anywhere. It's not about employees checking in on company email on a sick day. It's about creating a way for employees to have secure and easy access to company email from their mobile device when and where they need it, whether it's over a long lunch break or a week away from the office.

Secure and easy. If you read our last post, you know how difficult it is to find a balance between those ideals.

One way trend-setting companies are tackling mobile is by offering "Bring Your Own Device" programs- known as BYOD. Letting employees use their own devices is the answer to a previous trend: handing out company devices to employees. It turns out that distributing company devices may not be as productivity inducing as was once thought. That's because the company isn't as good at keeping up with updates on hundreds of phones as an employee is with their own device. And because handing out a device is only one step. Companies often don't follow through by equipping the devices with usable apps that actually help employees do their jobs.

While some enterprises have been successful in the company device arena, BYOD is the new experiment aimed at capitalizing on employees' familiarity with their own devices. With BYOD, employees are better at keeping up with upgrades, and are better able to swipe between their personal and professional lives. It can also save a company a significant amount of money. Handing out company devices means the company is taking the brunt of the cost. With BYOD, employees typically pay for the majority of their device's capabilities.

If BYOD is sounding better and better, that's because it can be. But there are ownership and security issues a prudent company can't ignore. Whether employees use company phones or their own devices, policies and guidelines must be in place to protect data.

A mobile device is just that. It only becomes a tool for productivity when it is equipped with apps that make it so. A BYOD mobile program needs to involve a well thought out strategy to become part of a seamless work experience. Good Work is an app we like that allows all employees to access company information on their devices, but only after accepting the company's terms of use. An app like this one allows ease of use for employees, while giving management a way to be sure information stays secure. For example, if an employee is let go or leaves, the company can remotely clear their entire inbox. Any work-related data that was kept on that employee's personal device can be wiped clean. This kind of security is imperative for any enterprise hoping to implement BYOD.

A BYOD mobile strategy that addresses users' needs, data ownership, and flexibility could be key to employee productivity and satisfaction.
Talk to HR, talk to employees, talk to stakeholders, talk to your accountants…talk to us. Is BYOD the next step for your company to stay on the cutting edge?

Mobile culture is progressing. Are you?