Are BYOD Practices Putting Your Business at Risk?

Before discussing risks, it is worthwhile to consider the reasons that BYOD has become so prevalent. One of the main reasons that BYOD has taken off is because it enhances job satisfaction for employees who have strong device preferencesand this is a sizable portion of the workforce. Specifically, 50% of employees over the age of 30 expressed a strong preference for their own devices over those provided by their employer²†

Use of personal devices can also cut costs and create efficiencies for employers. Whether employees are working remotely or in the office, using familiar equipment is less stressful and reduces the time a company must invest in device-related training and troubleshooting. Researchers have also found that employees who were permitted to use their own devices were 34% more productive³†

Cost savings of BYOD are also attractive to employers, especially to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that have limited budgets. Studies have demonstrated that BYOD practices may save a company $350 to $1,300 per employee, per year⁴† Given these clear benefits, its easy to see why BYOD has caught on so widely; however, with these benefits come distinct cyber security risks.