Want to cut costs and increase employee productivity? Jump on the BYOD bandwagon.

If you’re new to this growing trend, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is when a business allows employees to use personal devices at work. These devices might include smartphones, tablets, laptops or devices authorized by the company and supported alongside other business-owned devices.

BYOD Rewards

• Cost Savings: Companies like Cisco, VMware and Intel have claimed significant cost savings from BYOD. One reason for these savings is the reduction in new equipment costs like PCs, laptops along with ongoing software updates for these devices.

• Increased Employee Productivity: Naturally, the BYOD trend offers employees more freedom and flexibility over how they work. Rather than feeling tied down to a desk in a traditional workplace setting, employees can work from various mobile devices in any location they choose. In fact, a survey conducted by FlexJobs revealed that 20% of the 1,500 job seekers were willing to take a pay cut in exchange for more flexible work options and ultimately a better work-life balance.

• Access Files on the Go: No need to transfer files or email files to yourself. All files are updated in real-time, which is also great for collaboration and team environments.

• Monitoring Power: Set restrictions on company phones and monitor potential viruses, apps downloaded, how much data is used, etc.
• Time Savings for Techs: Rather than relying on IT techs to update their PCs, mobile device owners are more likely to update their own software, freeing up tech’s time so they can focus on issues that are more critical.

BYOD Security Risks – and How to Avoid Them

Opening the floodgates, throwing caution to the wind and allowing employees to bring in any device is obviously not a good idea. If you do adopt BYOD in your Milwaukee area workplace, you’ll want to invest in a Mobile Device Management (MDM) Solution to help you eliminate security risks and maintain control over your company data.

Risk #1) Security Breach

When an employee leaves the company and takes his device with him/her, this presents the risk of a security breach.

MDM Solution: A Mobile Device Management solution ensures an employee does not still have access to important company data, once they leave the company. An MDM solution can automatically disable the employee’s account, which deactivates his access to the network along with any secure data.

Risk #2) Lost Devices

Naturally, mobile devices encourage use of the device in public places. This poses the risk of sensitive company data ending up in the wrong hands.

MDM Solution: A Mobile Device Management Solution provides passcode and encryption enforcement, in addition to the ability to remotely locate, lock and wipe out sensitive company data from lost or stolen devices.

Risk #3) Data Ownership and Policy Guidelines

In addition to defining how employees should use their mobile devices, it’s important everyone is on the same page in terms of data ownership. For example, if you intend to protect intellectual property, it’s not good policy to store corporate data alongside pictures of family reunions. Your BYOD policy should clearly define how company data is isolated on the device, along with what data is monitored on a regular basis.

MDM Solution: With any Mobile Device Management solution, Ontech Systems can also provide assistance in defining your company’s BYOD policy. There’s a fine line between maintaining employee satisfaction while securing control over sensitive data. If you don’t have a mobile device policy in place, without question, your network is at risk.

If you need help defining a formal policy for managing mobile devices within your Milwaukee area organization, call us today at (262) 522-8560 or contact us online for immediate answers to any questions you have about our mobile device management services.