It seems there is a new trend to look into every single month within the office world, and another which is making waves is BYOD,
i.e. Bring Your Own Device.
BYOD basically means employees are encouraged to bring their own laptop/tablet to work from within the office.
This has upsides and downsides, but first, check out this infographic which talks about the prevalence of this new phenomenon.
Source: https://visual.ly/community/infographic/computers/byod-reality-2014
Whilst BYOD isn’t quite so popular here in the UK yet, over in the USA, according to the infographic, many businesses allow BYOD.
The biggest plus point is saving cash. When a business doesn’t need to purchase desktops and laptops for office desks, it saves a considerable amount of cash. BYOD also makes using specific desking techniques far easier, such as implementing hot desking.
The downsides? There are a few, including lost data, the use of substandard apps and software, the possibility of virus infection, home and work mixed usage, and the fact that managers have a lack of control over the specific device being used.
Individual businesses should discuss around the conference table whether this is a suitable option for them, but for those who offer remote working and flexible hours, perhaps the use of personal devices would be quite beneficial?
We do live in cost-cutting times, and that means businesses need to save money here and there, to put to use in other areas. In this case, big money saved on technology could be used to revamp the office, purchase a few designer office chairs, and to reinvest in the business overall.
How do you feel about BYOD?