Pros and Cons of Bring Your Own Device policies

What is a Bring Your Own Device policy?

Bring your own device (BYOD) is a HR policy implemented by workplaces, encouraging employees to use their personal electronics, like mobile phones and laptops, to complete their work.  

BYOD policies became necessary during COVID because overnight, many offices and workplaces were forced to shut down and take the job home. There was no time to think about how desktop monitors could be transported because all logistical resources went towards the supply of essentials. 

But companies had to maintain operational resilience and efficiency, and so many chose to enable their employees to log into their secure systems from home, with personal devices. Many later accompanied this privilege with rules and limitations, which turned into Bring Your Own Device policies. 

Both hybrid and remote working have remained a popular strategy for corporations to promote a good work-life balance, increase two-way trust between employees and bosses, and save on some of the costs associated with offices. In fact, at the end of 2024, 13% of employees were fully remote, and 27% worked in a hybrid role.

Types of BYOD

Depending on the industry and work performed, some BYOD policies will be pretty simple, whereas others tend to be stricter and more prescriptive, like approved devices only. The type of device policy (and type of mobile device) does have an effect on its advantages and risks, so this is an important distinction.

It’s also worth noting that in some industries, the regulators do not permit BYOD policies because the risks are too great, or BYOD policies conflict with best practice rules.  

What are the pros of Bring Your Own Device policies?

There are several advantages to BYOD policies:

• Save on costs
• Promote sustainability
• Increased productivity

Save on costs

Traditionally, companies purchase a fleet of devices to arm their workforce with, sometimes spending thousands on a single laptop. With these set costs for all new hires and a growing company, the expenses quickly add up.

There are also costs associated with the maintenance of devices. Accidents happen, and it’s more than likely that every so often, something breaks and needs fixing or replacing. But when a company is not responsible for the devices that their employees use, they are also not responsible for the costs.

The larger the company, the more savings that a BYOD policy would create on device management.

Promote sustainability

BYOD policies effectively halve the number of devices for employees. Since most already own the likes of a phone and laptop themself, doubling up can be a waste of resources and go against sustainability best practices.

Plus, before BYOD became popularised, companies would often make a huge order of devices at once to take advantage of wholesale prices. But this would also require them to hit minimum order quantities, which left many devices sitting around until the next rounds of hiring. When growth stunted, it meant that organisations were left with extra devices collecting dust. But by relying on staff to use their personal devices, the issue disappears.

Increased productivity

As staff are already familiar with navigating the devices that they own, the learning curve that’s typically associated with onboarding new tech is completely skipped.

This means that there’s no training necessary – new employees can focus on getting up to speed in their role instead. 

Without restricting employees to certain devices, they can also choose to experience the most innovative and cutting edge technology. This type of flexibility will help them choose solutions to best suit their own needs and work in the ways that they feel most productive. 

What are the cons of Bring Your Own Device policies?

There are also key risks of BYOD policies:

• Cybersecurity risks
• System upgrades and compatibility
• Data retrieval and archiving issues

Cybersecurity risks

The biggest disadvantage around implementing a BYOD policy are the cybersecurity risks, which are heightened due to a number of factors:

• The devices are being taken away from the office and may be connected to public wifi networks, which are more prone to a higher security risk
• Devices are not necessarily locked when they are not in use
• Devices do not undergo mass security checks or tests, leaving them potentially vulnerable to hackers
• With extra apps and the likes of multiple email accounts, devices are more prone to takeover attacks from phishing scams, which can, in turn, affect the ability to work

System performance and compatibility issues

Another disadvantage of a BYOD policy is the fact that each device runs on its own operating system, which can create divergence in performance. With some devices literally running slower than others – especially if users maximise their device storage – it can eventually slow down productivity.

Then there’s the issue of compatibility as the varying systems may not have the apps, hardware or software that your employees need. In most cases there are workarounds, but it can still cause operational delays and makes fleetwide system upgrades much harder to control. 

Data retrieval and archiving issues

In regulated industries, firms must archive and store their data so that is readily accessible for a number of years, including the likes of:

• Internal emails
• Social media messages
• Communications with clients
• Financial statements and much more

Without a uniform fleet, setting up data retrieval systems on each device adds extra steps. 

And as for the archiving, with varying devices comes varying methods, giving the IT department a lot of work to get things set up. But since this is a regulatory requirement, it must be performed by qualified individuals, which can greatly inconvenience other staff when they are required to attend the office.

Data retrieval and archiving requirements may cause further tension for staff, since the devices that are being monitored also have personal uses. This can cause worries about personal data protection, as employees feel they are being watched ov​​er.

Pros	Cons
Save on costs	Cybersecurity risks
Support sustainability practices	System performance compatibility issues
Increased productivity	Data retrieval and archiving issues