How BYOD & CYOD Policies Can Help Your Business

It’s likely that every employee you hire will own a laptop, smartphone or tablet (and in some cases, all three). Your organization needs to decide whether employees are allowed to use these devices for work or whether the company will provide devices for this purpose. 

No matter what decision you make, it’s important to have a policy in place that outlines the rules your employees are expected to follow.

If you’re trying to choose between a bring your own device (BYOD) and a choose your own device (CYOD) policy, we’re here to help you understand each approach and figure out which one is the best fit for your business.

‍What is a BYOD Policy?

‍Bring your own device (BYOD), which lets employees use their personal laptops, smartphones and tablets for work, has become an increasingly popular approach. 

This is because many businesses have realized that employees are usually more comfortable working on their own devices. When employees are allowed to use these devices for work, they don’t need to adapt to digital tools that have been chosen by a central IT department and they can be far more productive. 

More importantly, there are serious security issues to consider when employees are accessing corporate networks and data through personal devices. Implementing an official BYOD policy allows businesses to take control over — and minimize — these security risks.

What are the Pros & Cons of BYOD?‍

Before you decide if a BYOD policy is right for your organization, you need to carefully consider the pros and cons of this approach. 

PROS: What are the benefits of BYOD?

• Better equipment — employee-owned devices are almost always newer and more up-to-date than corporate devices.
  
• Happier employees — using the device they personally selected and have gotten used to is almost always going to be preferable for your employees. They’ll feel more comfortable and be more efficient.
  
• Lower costs — each device that an employee brings to work is a device your company doesn’t have to supply. You also save on maintenance fees.
  
• Easier transitions — onboarding and off-boarding employees who use corporate devices is time-consuming and often challenging. A BYOD policy can simplify these transitions.  
  
  

CONS: What are the risks of BYOD?

• Less control — No matter how strong your policy is, you still don’t have complete control over what your employees do with their personal devices.
  
• Security — Without a security solution in place, the use of personal devices will put your corporate network and data at much higher risk from outside sources.
  
• Privacy — When you authorize employees to use their own personal devices for work, you need to ensure the privacy of the information on the devices. This can be a particular concern if you need to add extra security features to the devices to protect your corporate data. 

What are the Pros & Cons of CYOD?

Just like with BYOD policies, CYOD policies come with their own set of pros and cons that you need to consider.

PROS: What are the benefits of CYOD?

• Easier to manage — from an IT perspective, the CYOD approach is simpler and more secure.
  
• More control — your IT department has the ability to place restrictions on devices that can make the entire system more stable and efficient.
  
• More security — one of the main benefits of CYOD policies is the ability to protect sensitive data. When your company owns the equipment, you can pre-install the necessary security features on all devices. 
  

CONS: What are the risks of CYOD?

• Higher costs — unlike BYOD policies, which are often inexpensive, CYOD involves significant investments in technology and ongoing maintenance.
  
• Employee satisfaction — since employees generally prefer the ability to use their own devices, CYOD policies can decrease both their job satisfaction and productivity.
  
• Less flexibility — Getting a device authorized for enterprise use takes time, which can lead to missed opportunities for adopting new technologies or software.
  
  

How do you choose the right device policy for your business?

The choice between a BYOD and CYOD policy comes down to what will work best for your business. 

There are several important aspects to consider as you make your decision, such as your company’s IT budget and security needs. If your IT budget is small, for example, implementing a wide-reaching CYOD policy might be out of reach. But if your company deals with sensitive data, the security risks that come with a BYOD policy might be too high. 

Here are some key areas to think about:

• What would be the risks to your company if you implemented a BYOD policy vs. a CYOD policy?
  
• What would your employees prefer? Which type of policy is more likely to maintain their job satisfaction?
  
• Which type of policy is better suited to the capabilities of your IT department?
  

The question of how to handle the use of personal electronic devices in the workplace is here to stay — and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But by carefully considering your needs and options, you can decide whether a BYOD or CYOD policy is right for both your business and your employees.