Known as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy, the use of personal devices is a company policy that allows employees to use their own devices, such as computers, tablets, and phones, to access company data and networks and perform their tasks during work hours. This way, the organization doesn't need to provide devices and force employees to use them to perform their tasks.
This policy has brought about a significant transformation for companies across all sectors, as the vast majority use them in the workplace.
Besides being a methodology that guarantees increased productivity for all employees, the use of personal devices also contributes to cost savings and improved workplace satisfaction. However, it is essential that the company take some specific precautions to ensure the proper use of these devices and reduce damage from this current cyber threat.
BYOD Policy: Understand the Concept
Simply put, BYOD is a policy that allows employees to use their own devices to perform work activities . This use is governed by security policies and strategies aimed at protecting the company's networks and stored information.
In addition to providing greater savings for companies, this strategy also allows employees to have more flexibility in their routines, as long as all requirements are met and there is a good balance to maintain productivity.
Contrary to popular belief, implementing this strategy is more complex than it appears. In fact, implementing these strategies involves several essential steps, from creating security policies, device management, and secure access strategies, to implementing measures to maintain productivity.
This is because it is the company's responsibility to ensure, in accordance with the specifications of the General Data Protection Law , the necessary requirements to keep stored and handled information secure. The use of personal devices, while beneficial, must be a strategy observed and implemented in accordance with specific security requirements.
BYOD in practice: what changes for your company
We know that BYOD is a strategy that has been gaining increasing traction in the market. The advancement of digital transformation has enabled the use of increasingly intelligent and efficient resources to ensure greater productivity and security, including the use of personal devices.
With increasingly comprehensive devices, it's possible to perform a variety of tasks in the workplace. For this reason, organizations have found the use of personal devices to be a smart and effective strategy for ensuring task completion and maintaining employee productivity.
The Getúlio Vargas Foundation conducts an annual survey on technology use in Brazil , providing important data on the number of devices and how these devices are used. According to this study, Brazil has 249 million smartphones in use , representing 1.2 smartphones per capita. Considering tablets and notebooks, this number jumps to 364 million portable devices.
Find out why this trend has a major impact on organizations' routines:
Data like this highlights the strong presence of mobile device use among the population, becoming an interesting opportunity for companies to increase their productivity and guarantee several benefits, such as cost reduction and improvement of the organizational climate, which we will see in more detail below.
Benefits of BYOD
The strategy was introduced by Intel, a giant in the technology sector, which began implementing BYOD in 2009. Following the trend, companies like Microsoft began allowing employees to use their own devices to carry out daily activities.
As we can see, the use of personal devices has been growing significantly among companies . This growth is mainly due to the significant benefits this process can provide, as we will see below:
Increased productivity
Increased productivity is one of the biggest benefits of using your own devices in the workplace. This is because using a device the user is already familiar with, without the need for company equipment, makes these employees feel more comfortable performing their tasks.
This means that using personal devices eliminates the need for training and qualification to perform tasks on an unfamiliar device. Furthermore, using personal devices also allows workers to perform their tasks remotely with greater comfort and security.
Cost savings
Cost savings are one of the main benefits of using this methodology. With the help of BYOD, your company will no longer invest in equipment and devices for daily use , reducing costs not only in acquisition but also in tracking, management, maintenance, and upgrades.
Implementing BYOD is a strategy that will allow your organization to invest its resources in other equally important strategies, ensuring that your investments are directed more intelligently.
Improvement of the organizational climate
To ensure greater productivity, it's important for a company to establish a suitable organizational climate. Employees who use their own devices to perform their tasks feel more comfortable performing their tasks, primarily due to their familiarity with their environment.
Furthermore, personal devices make it easier to implement remote work, a significant benefit for employees. Another significant advantage is that using their own devices will ensure your employees feel more comfortable and empowered to perform their tasks.
It is seen positively by employees
We know that employees tend to feel pressured or controlled when forced to use company-issued devices. The ability to use their own devices to perform daily tasks is considered a benefit for employees , demonstrating that the company is differentiated and focused on technological innovation.
In some cases, organizations even offer reimbursement for using their own devices during daily tasks , which is very positive for employees.
Optimization of the employee onboarding and offboarding process
We know that employee turnover is something to be avoided, as it's a major problem within companies. However, facilitating this process can be extremely beneficial for the organization.
The use of personal devices allows the company to carry out this termination process more easily, without worrying about returning the devices and these employees' access to the company's networks and systems.
Why is BYOD a growing concept?
Digital mobility has become increasingly prevalent with technological advancements. Nowadays, it's virtually impossible to find a person who doesn't use a smartphone, computer, or tablet daily, demonstrating just how connected we have become to these devices.
According to Bitglass' BYOD security report , during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, 82% of organizations shifted their approach to using employees' own devices. Contrary to expectations, this shift resulted in a significant increase in productivity for these companies.
In this sense, we can observe how the broad growth of BYOD in the market can be evidenced by impressive numbers. More and more companies are adopting this strategy to ensure not only cost savings but also increased productivity during the work routine .
One of the most popular examples of this strategy's implementation is the technology giant Intel , which was primarily responsible for popularizing the strategy and pioneered its implementation in 2009. Intel's BYOD policy covers over 30,000 employee devices, an impressive number.
To ensure this change was successful, management established a transparent and effective communication process with its employees , making it clear what types of information could and could not be viewed while using devices during work hours. This communication process continues to this day, ensuring the company is always available to answer questions and offer guidance on BYOD.
What are the risks of BYOD for your company?
As with any strategy, using personal devices to carry out company activities also has some negative aspects, as we will see below:
- Employees are very concerned about information privacy and data visibility;
- The use of personal devices can also increase cybersecurity risks if your company does not have specific tools and strategies for this;
- Companies related to finance, healthcare, and government agencies may also face some compliance challenges when implementing BYOD, particularly regarding the handling and viewing of personal data.
However, with the right security features in place, BYOD can be a highly efficient and comprehensive solution for your organization. The most important thing is that the company is prepared to implement this strategy and ensures that employees have access to all the necessary security features to maintain privacy and security while using these devices.
Implementing the method safely
Before implementing this method within companies, managers must consider several key factors. The first step in this process is to conduct a thorough assessment to ensure the infrastructure is adequate for this methodology and whether this change could be beneficial to the business.
Once this is done, it's also crucial to determine how the data will be made available to employees. Considering that these devices will be used to perform essential organizational tasks, it's crucial that your company determine how the data can be accessed securely and how employees can access it easily.
It's also important to ensure that information remains secure and confidential during tasks. More than just complying with the LGPD , your company must ensure that the data subjects' rights are protected and that your company's image is not damaged by the leak or loss of confidential information.
Once these factors have been analyzed, you can begin implementing a BYOD policy within your organization . To achieve this, the process can be accomplished through a series of steps:
- Planning clear goals and objectives for BYOD implementation;
- Creating policies for the use of personal devices during work hours, including information security, data privacy, and compliance;
- Communicating the guidelines of this policy so that all employees understand the implications of using personal devices for work;
- Implementation of security features to ensure information security;
- Implementation of device management capabilities for tracking, monitoring and security control;
- Implementation of data segmentation resources, so that it is possible to separate personal information from data related to the employee's activity;
- Creating a strategy for technical support, in case the employee needs help with technical problems;
- Employee training on policies, security resources and procedures related to this new methodology;
- Carrying out monitoring to determine whether the BYOD program will deliver the expected results;
- Evaluation of results and updates to implement improvements.
How to Create an Effective Security Policy
The security policy your company implements after adopting a personal device usage methodology must consider all factors related to these employees' activities and routines . This means it must address the security requirements related to performing daily tasks and the user's behavior in the digital environment.
It's crucial that your employees understand the importance of establishing secure digital behavior to avoid cyber threats that can harm not only company information but also the user's personal data.
The security policy will provide a foundation for employees to understand the impact that cyberattacks can have on the security of company information, understanding that the use of personal devices is a benefit.
Protection first
We know that information security is a priority within companies. In addition to protecting the information of its customers and consumers, the business also needs to be mindful of the stored data of employees, suppliers, and partners.
Adopting security tools on devices used to perform daily tasks is essential to maintaining information protection. It's the company's responsibility to ensure this data remains protected and that employees use work-related devices intelligently and securely.
The General Data Protection Law established protocols to ensure data protection. Following these protocols involves much more than simply following a series of guidelines: it requires a change in the company's and its employees' behavior, adopting a culture of digital security .
Investing in employee awareness is essential
The use of personal devices in the workplace is a strategy that must be implemented carefully and consider all cybersecurity . This means your company won't immediately release devices; it must be done carefully and planned to ensure this change is beneficial and poses no risk to the organization.
For this reason, the security policy must not only be well-developed; it's crucial that the company raises awareness among employees in a transparent and simplified manner. This way, your company can help them understand the importance of a more secure posture in the digital environment and why security tools are so important in their daily routine.
The better prepared your employees are to deal with cyberthreats, the lower the risk of these issues causing harm to your organization. Awareness is an essential process and should be established even before devices are released for use in the company.
Adopt effective tools to ensure security and productivity
We know there are several technological solutions available to ensure greater security and privacy for your information. However, it's essential to choose reliable tools from well-established companies to ensure the full protection your business needs.
The security tools used by your organization, such as internet access control and security platforms, must provide all the resources your company needs to achieve its objectives. Therefore, the selection process must be careful and consider all factors that may impact your organization's routine.
We know there are several technological solutions available to ensure greater security and privacy for your information. However, it's essential to choose reliable tools from well-established companies to ensure the full protection your business needs.
The security tools used by your organization, such as internet access control and security platforms , must provide all the resources your company needs to achieve its objectives. Therefore, the selection process must be careful and consider all factors that may impact your organization's routine.
By choosing Lumiun , your company can count on a comprehensive solution that includes not only internet access control but also advanced cybersecurity features. This platform offers a range of features, from creating access rules and policies to real-time monitoring, providing a complete experience in terms of security and productivity.
Furthermore, Lumiun stands out for its commitment to compliance, meeting regulations such as the LGPD , and for its proven effectiveness in companies across a variety of sectors. By adopting Lumiun's solutions, your company will be investing in a robust and reliable approach to ensuring information integrity and operational efficiency. After all, security and productivity are essential pillars for organizational success in the digital landscape.
