Is BYOD really as inclusive as it seems?

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) isn’t the most eloquent acronym to come out of the IT world. However, some say it stands for a new era where employees’ preferred devices are also used for completing work tasks. But is BYOD really the ultimate social integration and cost saving trend for businesses?  

It’s obvious that there are significant cost savings associated with employees using their own smartphones, tablets and laptops for work. However, the downsides are numerous and worth considering. From a logistics point of view, a multitude of devices is hard to support and manage, as you often can’t make the same app work on all platforms.

The question of data integrity and security should also be raised. How can businesses manage their information and ensure that there are no leaks after the employee decides to up sticks and work for the competition, taking his device with him? The answer is simple; they can’t.

Even more importantly, BYOD can’t be implemented realistically across the business because not all of your staff own state of the art portable devices, fit for enterprise use. BYOD could create differences between employees and ostracise those who can’t afford the latest tablet or smartphone. This will undoubtedly affect productivity and data security, which makes the Bring Your Own Device trend as unpalatable as its acronym.