The BYOD audiovisual trend – Bring Your Own Device – is a concept that is making the rounds in the Audiovisual world. There is a significant trend towards people wanting their home and work lifestyle, environment, and technology to mesh seamlessly.
In other words, employees expect work devices/technology to be as sophisticated as what they have at home. But here’s the challenge… what makes life easier for employees significantly complicates matters for the IT department. A study by Harris Poll of US Adults, showed that a surprising number of employees use a personal device for work related tasks – a whopping 4 out of 5! It goes on to reveal that a third bring their personal laptops to work and connect via wi-fi.
The BYOD trend has some significant pros but also some serious cons, here’s a quick break down:
PROS:
1. Increased productivity as employees generally have more cutting-edge devices and are more adept at using technology of their own choosing.
2. Employee satisfaction as they tend to value their personal devices and appreciate not having to manage multiple devices.
3. Sustainability as BYOD eliminates redundancies.
CONS:
1. Incompatibility issues are highly likely and can be challenging with hardware, software and conflicting platforms.
2. Privacy and security is made more vulnerable for both the company and the worker.
3. Some workers may resent having to use their own device without adequate compensation for wear and tear.
There is no question that BYOD is the wave of the future as employers seek to accommodate flexibility, productivity and engagement in the workplace. The challenge will be for IT departments to address the issue head on and reshape policy, procedure and infrastructure to retain enough control to keep data secure and continue to be able to support staff. Companies like Cisco are already providing comprehensive solutions to effectively design, manage, and control this prevalent trend.