The Legal Side of BYOD Policies at Work
A guest posting by
HKM Employment Attorneys LLP
Photo by rawpixel.com from PxHere
The bring your own device (BYOD) business trend has become increasingly popular with employers and employees at all levels using their personal devices (think laptops, tablets, or smartphones) for work or to access company resources via the cloud.
Millennials, mostly in white-collar positions, have primarily driven the BYOD trend because they have come to rely on personal technology for work and play.
Almost all professionals send and receive work emails on either a company-owned or personal mobile device away from the office or when working remotely. An increasing number are also accessing company data, documents, and other resources using personal mobile devices.
Why Embrace BYOD Policies?
BYOD can significantly increase efficiency because it allows businesses to provide flexibility and 24/7 access to company resources. It can also lower operating costs and improve effectiveness and employee morale. However, it raises security, compliance, and legal concerns. Fortunately, a well-crafted BYOD policy can address most of these concerns.
IT and legal Experts advise companies against the outright prohibition of the use of employee-owned devices for work. Employees have proven to circumvent IT restrictions and ignore such policies to access company resources when they want.
Therefore, adopting a BYOD policy may be the better option for businesses since it allows them to define the access parameters, ensure the security of their information and resources by using appropriate technical infrastructure, and comply with existing industry regulations and legal requirements. Hence, the need to consult IT experts and legal counsel such as employment lawyers.