BYOD Movement to Double in Next Five Years

Featured blog by Jessica Oaks, Independent Technology Author

Over the last several years, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has become common practice in businesses large and small across the nation. With smartphones, tablets, and laptops becoming increasingly popular – and capable – many businesses find that not only is it easier to allow their employees to conduct business from their personal devices, but that many employees actually prefer it this way. Perhaps it should come as no surprise then that many experts expect adoption of the practice to double over the next five years.

The benefits that a BYOD environment provide are numerous, and for this reason, the practice could very well become commonplace soon. What are these benefits? Read further to learn more.

Mobile Workforce

With BYOD, employees are able to utilize their own devices for business purposes. For this reason, many BYOD workplaces encourage individuals to work on their own time, from anywhere. With a smartphone, an employee is never out of reach, which means he or she can just as easily work or communicate with clients from the local coffee shop than from the office. Of the many benefits BYOD provides modern businesses, mobility may be the most self-evident.

Active Workforce

BYOD also keeps individuals engaged. As many BYOD workplaces have flexible hours – in keeping with the less traditional business structure that allows individuals to work remotely – employees are often more self-motivated and driven. With less micromanagement and less immediate oversight, employees are responsible for their own duties. This places the burden on them, rather than on someone else. Though companies must be mindful of enforcing safe business practices, many find that the benefits of a BYOD workplace more than makeup for added IT demands.

Reinforces Cloud-based Strategy

In nearly every industry, the cloud is increasingly becoming the go-to resource for data storage. A BYOD work environment helps foster and reinforce a cloud-based business strategy, as mobile devices demand a cloud solution in order to work. Employees can’t be expected to store everything locally if they’re using multiple devices at all times of the day. In effect, by allowing individuals to use their own devices at work, it facilitates a transition away from traditional storage solutions to a modern, cloud-based storage solution. And with cloud storage, businesses are more flexible and adaptable.

Cost Effective

Because individuals are using their own devices, the company’s hardware and software costs can be greatly decreased. Though some companies reimburse employees for the cost of their devices, others do not – it ultimately comes down to the individual business. Of course, there is a trade off: with a BYOD work environment, there is typically a greater need for security measures, in order to protect proprietary and sensitive data from being accessed. However, the cost savings of a BYOD strategy can typically offset any additional IT costs that may be necessary to secure a mobile network.

Morale Booster

Finally, many employees enjoy being able to use their iPhone 7 or Macbook Pro for work. After all, individuals purchased these devices because they liked them, so it’s only natural that they would enjoy using them as well. With corporate hardware and software, there are typically onboarding hurdles; with a BYOD work environment, individuals can typically start working immediately using their own devices. And for those who run into issues, there are resources available. For example, T-Mobile offers BYOD setup guides for employees. Ultimately, it’s easier working from a device that you know than one that is new to you.

BYOD is the Future

The BYOD work environment is only going to become more popular with the passage of time. As consumer electronics become increasingly more capable and prevalent, businesses are finding that they are able to offset some of their supply costs to their employees. Not only that, as work practices continually evolve to meet the demands of the 21^st century workforce, employees will not only expect to be able to use their own devices – they will likely demand it. For these reasons and many more, BYOD is the future.