Despite early resistance by many companies, mobile devices have finally found their place in today’s work environment. Initially, employee-owned smartphones, tablets and even notebooks were only for personal use in the workplace, and even then, normally not allowed during working hours. However, thanks to the trending strategy called Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), these personal devices are not only acceptable by many companies, but are being used professionally as well.

Bulk purchasing of smartphones or notebooks for entire workforces is becoming dated as more companies are embracing the BYOD policy that allows employees to conduct business on- or off-site using personal mobile devices or similar electronics owned by a company.

This office-changing implementation not only helps businesses with their bottom line, but allows them to keep up with technological advancements. It also offers workers a more flexible work schedule. BYOD is something that many employees should see as not only beneficial to their employer, but something that can simplify their lives as well.

Why BYOD is Beneficial to Employees

Employees who want flexibility in their schedules should consider working in an environment that promotes BYOD. Besides the hassle of not carrying two devices (one for work and the other for home), this strategy gives workers a chance to work at a remote location if necessary while still having access to much of the company’s data and documents.

Depending on a person’s technical knowledge, learning to use one mobile device may be enough work. But adding a second one such as a laptop or tablet for business use could become quite cumbersome and can lead to errors in worker production. Nonetheless, corporate training can be done remotely where workers can take measures to improve their own performance.

How BYOD Benefits Employers

While there are some advantages of BYOD for employees, there are quite a few for employers as well. Implementing this initiative can help build and retain a productive team of workers, as well as provide an edge over competing companies by offering a more flexible work schedule. Bringing one’s personal device for use in the workplace can also save a business money.

Employers will no longer have to purchase numerous pieces of office software or hardware, pay as many licensing fees or for support. A study by Cisco agrees that a comprehensive BYOD policy can decrease employer costs and increase productivity. It all depends on how the plan is implemented. Each employee should have a sound understanding of how business data and documents should be accessed outside the office. This will decrease any chance of breaches in security.

Finally, employers who implement a BYOD strategy are freeing up their IT departments to focus on other strategic initiatives. These workers won’t need to spend nearly as much time maintaining a multitude of devices, thereby creating a simpler infrastructure.

Between the benefits that are available to employees and management, there’s no reason why an workers shouldn’t advocate for a BYOD policy.

Posted on 6/19/14

Written by Jennifer Thayer who is an editor at a technology blog called Freshly Techy. She enjoys covering other subjects like entertainment, food and deals. You can follow her on Twitter to see what useful tricks and fun tips she uncovers next.

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