How to Implement a BYOD Program

The question of whether or not to go BYOD is becoming obsolete as all companies large and small are realizing the benefits; namely cost cutting and productivity boosting. According to Techpro, as of 2014, over 75% of companies were either already implementing or planning on implementing a BYOD program. What we need to consider now is how to implement a BYOD program and what to be weary of when doing so.

Switching from corporate-owned computers and Blackberries to employee-owned PCs and smartphones is not something that can happen overnight. It requires extensive preparation and attention. While an IT manager’s concerns may include management fluidity, another employee may have concerns regarding privacy. The following are four steps to cover the bases and be on your BYOD A-game.

1. Know Your Goal

Being able to use personal computers and mobile devices at work is very appealing to most, making it easy to get overeager and jump on the opportunity too quickly. Before beginning your journey to BYOD, make sure you clearly state why you’re going BYOD and what you hope to achieve with such a program. Is it higher employee satisfaction? Simplified management? More efficient practices? A clear goal will give your crew some guidance when preparing and executing the program.

2. Talk to IT

Talk to your tech-gurus about making the switch and defining the logistics of the program including policies and a management program. What devices can they support? What devices will you allow? Laptops, cellphones, tablets, or all three? To encourage consistency and simpler management, it may be helpful to connect with a reliable device vendor and reach an agreement about company discounts for your employees. Having some degree of uniformity across devices will help with smoother management.

3. Create a BYOD policy

Consider the following questions when building your BYOD policy; Who can bring their own devices? When can they be used and for what purpose? How much information about your business can employees manage and access on those personal devices? What measures will you take to protect company information? Will the company cover costs, or a percentage of the costs of purchasing a personal device? When and how will you support device theft or damage? Will your IT department be using a device management tool to monitor usage? What procedure will you take for exiting employees? Are there any applications that you will require employees to download? Is there a list of prohibited apps? If you do decide to mandate the use of company-specific apps, make sure that they are more helpful than they are harmful. These apps should simplify communication and work-related tasks for your employees.

4. Train your employees

Once you have all of the details in place, it’s time to communicate to your team. An email blast will not suffice as you want to confirm that everyone on your team fully understands the program. Have a face-to-face meeting with your team to review all policies including a clear communication of privacy policies regarding personal devices. If your IT team plans on having any sort of control over employee devices, a written agreement is necessary with a list of all company access points and permissions. While initial training for implementing BYOD should be extensive, introducing your team to new software afterwards should not be a strenuous process. Choose an app that’s easy to navigate to keep your team happy and save them some time.

BYOD management appears daunting but reaps great rewards. Giving employees the ability to use their personal devices softens the rigidity between personal and work life. It gives your team more flexibility of when and where to work. It keeps employees engaged in company matters more than before. “BYOD is an expression of our world, which is becoming more democratic and more engaging,” says CEO of harmonie.ie, Yaacov Cohen. Just because employees leave the office, doesn’t mean they leave work. And of course, it saves your company time and money on additional corporate devices.