Want to use your smartphone at work but fearful of doing so in case you get rapped over the knuckles? This may not be the case for much longer, if indeed any longer, as businesses are now moving towards the adoption of BYOD (bring your own devices), which enables workers to use their own smartphones and tablets in the office for business purposes.
The statistics about BYOD demonstrate just how widespread it has become, as well as why it has grown to such an extent. 60% of companies already have it in place, with a further 14% projected to implement it within the next 12 months. Indeed, 70% of companies with 50-249 employees already have BYOD, and the number of BYOD devices is anticipated to reach 405 million this year. When you consider that it can save an average of almost 40 minutes from a worker’s week, and $1,300 a year per user, you can see why it is being adopted so widely.
Employees’ main reasons for embracing BYOD policies include the familiarity with using their own devices, the preference of their devices over their workplace’s alternatives, and in some cases the lack of suitable alternatives provided by the company. Meanwhile, employers favour its implementation as they see the possibility of greater productivity, telecommuting and flexibility for employees, as well as a window to new streams of revenue.
However, not all businesses are keen to beat the BYOD drum. A number of employers have said they would not implement it for a variety of reasons, the most prevalent of which was security. Some employers fear that BYOD would compromise the security of mobile devices, company data and applications. There are also concerns that employees could use their personal devices for non-company matters on the company’s time, although this can easily be prevented by clearly stating parameters in BYOD policy.
The infographic below by Neon SMS, a bulk text messaging company based in the UK,is a great beginner’s guide to BYOD and explores why it has become so widely adopted in the corporate world. With companies now more focused than ever on the bottom line, and on time management, it offers an ideal way of helping to solve both of these challenges. Plus, for businesses considering whether or not to adopt it, the precedents are there to show that it works, so it should provide a sound investment once it is managed effectively.
