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Now more than ever, employers are turning to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies in the workplace, largely due to employees showing interest in saying goodbye to their company-issued phones and leadership looking to increase security measures and cut costs. BYOD adoption rates are increasing year-over-year, with a recent survey finding 67 percent of companies had implemented BYOD policies, up from 51 percent the year prior.

Given the growing interest from organizations and employees looking to transition to the BYOD model, it is critical to understand why this switch is beneficial and the steps companies can take to set them up for success and ensure proper security and privacy measures are implemented.

Just like any other planning facet of a business, setting up a mobile communications strategy should be based on the company’s “why.” What are the primary reasons this workforce should (or shouldn’t) utilize a BYOD model? Is it productivity, security, better client interactions - or all of the above? Depending on, industry, category, and the size of the company, this “why” can take on many forms.

For instance, a company operating in a highly regulated industry, such as financial services or healthcare, will find it imperative to be able to capture calls and texts for compliance purposes. Another company may instead prioritize data privacy in its phone policy both for the company, itself, and its customers. Either way, having a strong mobile communications strategy, with a BYOD policy in place, is critical.

Companies on the other end of the BYOD spectrum, such as those that rely on a transient, 1099 workforce, will need a solution that allows them to assign business numbers to freelance or contract workers. For organizations looking to cut costs while increasing productivity, companies can look into options such as putting a second, dedicated business identity on employees’ phones to provide a distinct separation of work and personal communications.

No matter which of these examples might fit an organization's business model, it is important to determine the “why” upfront before making a decision on whether or not to utilize a BYOD model.

From there, before putting a BYOD policy into practice, companies should develop an implementation plan, starting with legal and human resources teams collaborating on a phone use policy. Among the many issues to be considered is whether employees will be compensated for the use of their personal phones, typically done in the form of a monthly stipend.

While many employees have expressed interest in having a BYOD policy in place, some businesses are still facing difficulties getting their workforce to embrace employee adoption due to employee concerns surrounding data privacy, IT complexities, and execution roadblocks.

Implementing third-party software applications can address many of these concerns, but companies should be cautious of applications that enable secure communications on employee-owned devices. Rather, companies should try utilizing apps that make a distinct separation of work and personal communications. Employees are more likely to engage with a BYOD model if they know their personal data isn’t being monitored or recorded by their employer.

• Emphasize the benefits of BYOD to employees in rollout communications. Nobody likes to carry a second phone and that alone can often be the driving force for staff engagement.
• If the BYOD policy leverages specific apps, make sure there is adequate training from the start. Additional follow-up training is also useful to assure continued use.
• Implement from the top down. When employees see that leadership is compliant with the new policy, it will encourage other employees to follow suit.

Understanding the “why” for implementing a BYOD policy, selecting an option that works for an organization’s specific needs, and properly encouraging employee adoption, will ultimately result in tangible benefits for both the employer and its employees.

Here are just some of the benefits businesses can realize by switching to a BYOD model:

1. Cost savings: Without the need to buy extra phones or manage another device plan, companies can greatly reduce their hardware and mobile service costs.
2. Convenience: Employees no longer have to carry two devices instead of one. Rather, they can keep work and personal communications separate on the same phone.
3. Security & compliance: Third party applications can offer enterprise-grade security features that support communication compliance (e.g., for financial or legal sectors) with automatic call and text recording, archiving, and monitoring.

In short, a BYOD model, combined with a third party application can give you the benefits of a second phone without the hassle or cost—especially appealing for professionals who need to stay compliant or businesses managing mobile fleets.

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