READ: BYOD-is it Good, Bad, or Ugly from the User viewpoint?

CITATION
Jones, J. (2012). BYOD–is it Good, Bad or Ugly from the User Viewpoint? BYOD, from http://blogs.technet.com/b/security/archive/2012/07/26/byod-is-it-good-bad-or-ugly-from-the-user-viewpoint.aspx

URL
http://blogs.technet.com/b/security/archive/2012/07/26/byod-is-it-good-bad-or-ugly-from-the-user-viewpoint.aspx

Some useful pieces:

A user quote: A sad example of workplace pushing off its responsibility to workers.

A user quote: This article left out two key facts/  First,as happened in my case, subsidies were offered to get people to turn in the company Blackberry, and then once BYOD was entrenched the subsidy disappeared due to "cost cutting".    Second "BYOD" soon became a requirement and managers fully expected  employees to be on call at all times.

Our research found that 67% of people are using personal devices in the workplace today, but only 53% reported having a policy in place explicitly allowing such activity. For 23 percent the response was either that no policy or guidance exists, or they simply aren’t aware of what the policy is, and for almost a quarter (24%) there is a policy in place specifically banning the use of personal devices in the workplace.

Why is it so important to users to be able to use their own device? There’s a reason that laptops, smartphones, and tablets come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, running different operating systems, and with different software available: people have unique, subjective opinions about what works and what doesn’t, and it’s infuriating to work with devices you’re not familiar with. Users chose their own device to meet their personal needs, so they’re more comfortable with their personal gadgets than with company-issued technology. 

Another common user pet peeve is that organizations take too long to deploy new hardware, operating systems, and applications. BYOD enables users to embrace cutting edge technologies on their own, which reduces frustration and leads to happier employees.

The first issue is money. When a company issues a laptop, or mobile phone to an employee, it is understood that the company bought the hardware, and is accepting responsibility for any monthly wireless bills. When the burden for supplying devices shifts to the user, the financial waters can start getting murky.

However, our research found that it’s more common for organizations to allow personal devices, but not subsidize them. Many consider allowing employees to bring their own devices into the work environment is its own reward and don’t feel any obligation to offset those costs. 

What about boundaries? When you have separate, company-issued devices you can simply turn them off or walk away during off hours, or when you’re on vacation. But, if you’re using the same device for both personal and business use, it’s easy to blur those lines and have work encroach on your personal time.   

By: Nima Zahadat