Technology is making Bring-Your-Own Device (BYOD) a part of everyday office life. More and more companies are allowing BYOD, and many of those companies are actually encouraging employees to bring their personal smartphones and tablets to the office.

A BYOD policy isn’t an employer giving their employees permission to waste away the day playing Angry Birds, or kick back and watch the big game like the kangaroo in the Dish Network commercial. Bring-your-own-device is a privilege for many employees and companies expect their employees to use their devices for work-related activities.

There is a huge trust factor that goes into BYOD, and it’s not only related to keeping employees engaged and focused on the task at hand. Bring your own device security issues are another factor to consider.

In fact, 95% of IT Managers admit they are struggling to tackle potential bring-your-own-device security risks that are being brought into the office every day. 87% believe threats come from careless employees.

As if your IT department isn’t already busy enough, a corporate decision to implement a BYOD policy means the IT department will be relied on heavily to secure networks and enforce certain aspects of the policy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make BYOD work for you.

Here’s what your company should do when implementing BYOD into your employees’ daily lives:

Create an Acceptable Use Policy

Your team has already drafted several acceptable use policies related to using the network, what you can and can’t do online and more. Do the same for Bring-your-own-device. Set standards for your employees right off the bat. These policies should go for the entire company, from the top down. Create an internal committee to review the policy on a regular basis to see what is and what isn’t working. Don’t allow jail broken devices into the office under any circumstances.

Create Access Restrictions and Segment Company Groups

We all know that some people are entitled to do and know more than others. You may want to give your marketing team access to Twitter and Facebook, but blacklist the rest of the company from accessing those applications. Have rules and policies in place to determine who can and cannot view certain folders on your server, just like you do with computer networks.

Hold Employees Accountable

Make sure all employees review the Acceptable Use policy and sign it to acknowledge the rules and regulation associated with participating in the program. It may also be necessary to hold training sessions to ensure all employees know what they can and can’t do. Make sure employees know whom to contact if they have any questions. Make the policy clear and concise, and easy for employees to follow.

Provide Support to Employees

Just because employees are using their own devices, you should still support those devices, as they are being used for business purposes. Providing support can help your business discover potential vulnerabilities. Support should cover all stages of bringing devices to work, from onboarding to provisioning and decommissioning.

 

Ultimately, BYOD is a privilege for your employees. Trust is a huge issue, but with an adequate plan, and everyone knowing their responsibilities, including both end-users and IT staffs, BYOD can be a great perk. Need help evaluating your IT processes and procedures? Contact ThrottleNet today!