Some argue this accessibility to information improves work-life balance giving employees the ability to work on a more flexible schedule. While others believe it leads to employees always being connected to work and deterring the work-life balance. Either way, we live in a technology-centric society and we now need to adapt our IT practices to fit today’s environment.
One major challenge with all the technology advancements is that we are finding ourselves with more devices than they can handle. Many of us have smartphones for work as well as for our personal use and also have work laptops in addition to home computers, for example. We often prefer to work on the specific devices that we have purchased ourselves versus those that our employers have chosen. This has led to the creation of BYOD “Bring Your Own Device” programs for businesses, which has been proven to be a mutually beneficial approach for both the employee and employer, but can also present some challenges.
Protecting sensitive corporate information can be one of the biggest challenges of a BYOD program. With data being shared across multiple devices there are always security concerns and precautions need to be taken. Another issue is managing all the devices that are being used by employees for work-related activities.
Implementing a BYOD program starts with desktop virtualization – providing users the ability to access their data, software, and systems from a remote location on computing devices. Cloud computing has enabled BYOD programs to exist. Once you enter the virtual world then you need to carefully plan out your BYOD strategy and develop a comprehensive policy that is enforced.
Make sure you check out how to ensure your business information is protected with a BYOD program.