BYOD - Bring Your Own Device

We all know it: You start at a new company and the first thing you are taught is how to use the equipment at work. Employers now often even provide laptops or tablets that employees can use and take home.

But what happens when you turn the tables? This is exactly what BYOD – Bring Your Own Device – aims for. Here, employees take their own technical work materials to work and use them as work materials. In this article, you will learn more about whether BYOD - Bring Your Own Device is worthwhile for your company, what advantages and disadvantages the concept offers you, and what challenges you face on the way to a successful implementation of BYOD.

BYOD meaning

BYOD is an acronym and means “bring your own device”. Employees are allowed to bring their own devices to work as work materials. However, if you want to integrate this concept into your company, there are a few things to consider. From data protection to company agreements, there are a number of hurdles that can arise. However, if you consider the concept to be useful for your company, the Bring Your Own Device concepts and guidelines must be clearly formulated in order to keep any potential risks under control.

Bring Your Own Device: Advantages and Disadvantages

BYOD offers many benefits for your business. Especially in freshly implemented hybrid teams, BYOD can improve acceptance and accelerate the adoption of the hybrid work concept. However, where there is light, there is always shadow, as the saying goes. For this reason, we have prepared a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the BYOD concept, which will help you decide whether you want to introduce Bring Your Own Device in your company. 

Advantages

• No adjustment period for a new operating system when bringing your own mobile device to work
• Cost savings for your business 
• More mobility and flexibility for employees 
• Productivity is increased when bringing your own device 
• Faster operating system updates
• The feeling of autonomy increases as employees have more control over their own work when they bring their own devices
• Companies often contribute to the cost of the mobile device, which has a positive impact on the financial situation of employees

Disadvantages

• Lack of security of internal company data
• Personal and internal company data is accessed and stored on the private device, which does not comply with the GDPR
• It becomes harder to separate professional from private life, which can lead to stress

Create a Bring Your Own Device concept

If you decide to introduce BYOD in your company, you need a concept. The concept includes some important content topics that you need to smoothly implement Bring Your Own Device:

1. Inform your employees comprehensively about their rights, responsibilities and the guidelines regarding security and use within the framework of BYOD.
2. Make sure that operating systems and applications are regularly updated to close security vulnerabilities and optimize performance.
3. Define clear rulesabout which applications may be used in the company to avoid violations of license rights and ensure software compliance.
4. To manage private devices used in the company, use Mobile Device Management (MDM) or Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)to make security and management easier.
5. Promote your employees' awareness of the importance of IT security and regularly train them on current threats and security measures.

Bring Your Own Device Policy

The introduction of Bring Your Own Device must be carefully considered, especially with regard to the use of work software. Microsoft Office, for example, is often not licensed for commercial use on private laptops. In addition, data backup on private devices presents a challenge. 

It is therefore advisable to develop a company-specific Bring Your Own Device works agreement. It should be carefully drafted to clearly communicate the changes and increase data security. External experts can also help to create and implement a suitable policy.

1. Set guidelines for acceptable applications: Define which websites, software, and network connections are allowed.

2. Implement security measures: Determine exactly which cybersecurity measures are necessary on the devices to protect them from attacks.

3. Set up remote management: Allow remote admins to perform software updates and wipe data in case of loss or theft.

4. Implement multi-factor authentication: Use MFA to secure access to corporate networks and data even if a device is lost.

5. VPN: Remote access to data only via a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

6. Allowed applications: Email, calendar appointments, messaging apps, and business contacts.

7. Prohibition of transmission and storage of illegal content: Avoid malware installation and theft of sensitive information.

In addition, basic security practices such as regular operating system updates and the use of virus scanners should be implemented to ensure data integrity and compliance with legal requirements.

Bring Your Own Device Privacy Policy

BYOD poses risks to data protection and the security of corporate IT, as data can be stored and processed on private, difficult-to-control devices. These devices are used in external networks and for private applications, which is why users must adhere to security policies, such as not storing company data on external storage media. Special software can also be installed to enforce security policies, run applications in encrypted environments, and block external interfaces. This in turn can limit private use. However, company data must be strictly separated from private data and the GDPR must be complied with.

BYOD and Flexopus - Facilitate BYOD adoption with Flexopus

BYOD and Desk Sharing often go hand in hand. As already highlighted, the conditions for successful implementation of BYOD are often subject to strict security requirements. Flexopus delivers exactly what employers need to be able to offer BYOD under the highest possible security requirements . Flexopus is fully GDPR compliant and is also ISO27001 certified. With the label "made & hosted in Germany," Flexopus is the ideal solution not only to introduce employees to the principle of desk sharing, but also to enable a smooth booking process for mobile offices, workstations, and meeting rooms. 
Flexopus will also soon roll out a feature that offers users the option of renting their own lockers. This means that personal items such as a mouse, keyboard, etc. can be safely stored in the office by booking a locker, which keeps the vulnerability of the technology to a minimum. 

Colleagues who are only in the office on certain days or who use the principle of alternating teleworking can easily coordinate who will be where and when with Bring Your Own Device and Flexopus.

Summary

Bring Your Own Device can bring many benefits, especially financial ones, but should be approached with caution when it comes to security concerns. In particular, companies that work with highly sensitive data or are part of critical infrastructure should refrain from introducing BYOD for the reasons mentioned above.

Companies that decide to implement the Bring Your Own Device concept must clearly communicate to their employees how it should be handled operationally. The following points are particularly important: Bring Your Own Device works agreement, concept, and guidelines.
If everyone adheres to data protection regulations and your company is well-equipped to protect data with software such as Flexopus , nothing stands in the way of your successful implementation of BYOD.