If you’re implementing BYOD in your workplace, you can make significant savings on your device supplication. You can also allow employees to work hybrid or remotely more conveniently without transferring data between two devices.
However, there are some challenges and concerns to consider when implementing BYOD.
Keep reading as we discuss what BYOD is, the challenges that come with it, and how to address these concerns. This guide can help you successfully implement a BYOD scheme in your workplace.
What is BYOD?
BYOD is a bring-your-own-device policy that allows employees to use their own devices at work. This presents more convenience for employees by allowing them to work from anywhere and access company resources on their own devices. It also facilitates companies to work remotely or on a hybrid basis.
BYOD allows employers to cut costs, with minimal need to supply their offices with desktop computers, laptops, and tablets.
However, the flexibility that BYOD provides has its downsides, and you must be aware of the challenges to successfully implementing a bring-your-own-device scheme in the workplace.
What are The Challenges of BYOD?
Before you begin developing your strategy for BYOD, you need to know about the challenges of this kind of policy. Below is a list of some of the challenges you must consider:
- Employees’ devices may become lost or stolen, exposing company data.
- The offboarding process becomes more complex, as you must remove all company data from their device.
- Employees may not update the software on their devices, resulting in cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
- Employees may leave their devices at home, inhibiting productivity in the office.
Although there are challenges with BYOD, you can implement strategies to overcome these challenges and ensure success in your system.
How To Overcome The Challenges Of BYOD
Below are some of the best practices essential to a successful BYOD scheme.
Cybersecurity Training
To overcome the challenges of BYOD, you must first provide your employees with training on cybersecurity best practices. They need to know how to manage their device security, ensuring you can trust them with the company data stored on their devices. Some of the most valuable areas to cover in your training include:
- Password health – your employees should know the importance of setting and maintaining strong passwords and using unique passwords across accounts. To enforce a password policy, you can implement password management software. Password management software monitors the strength of passwords and notifies your staff when their passwords are compromised.
- Software updates – your employees should know the importance of performing them as soon as they arise. Accessing company resources using outdated cybersecurity software could result in a security breach, as older software versions are more likely to have vulnerabilities.
Your training should also cover how to spot malicious attempts to gain information. By ensuring your employees practice good cybersecurity, you can minimise the risk of a BYOD scheme.
Cybersecurity Software
In addition to providing cybersecurity training to your employees, consider enforcing a cybersecurity software policy. All employees should download the company’s preferred cybersecurity software tool to secure their devices. You can protect data using firewalls and encryption.
Zero Trust And Role-Based Access Permissions
A zero trust policy is advisable when using a BYOD scheme, as it does not assume the user’s trustworthiness. If an employee device is breached, only a limited amount of data will be exposed. This is because a zero-trust policy ensures that users only gain role-based permissions to access the data they need to perform their daily duties. If you were to give every employee access to all company data, you would be more vulnerable should an employee device become breached.
Summary
If you’re looking to facilitate a hybrid, remote, or co-working office environment, then BYOD might be an excellent way to cut costs and provide employees with more work flexibility. However, you need to think about cybersecurity when planning your BYOD policy. By keeping the best practices listed above in mind, you can ensure your BYOD scheme is successful.
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