How Do You Handle Bring Your Own Device Policies?

Michael Elkon’s article “How Do You Handle Bring Your Own Device Policies?” was featured in Voluntary Benefits Magazine on September 4, 2014.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) situations are increasingly common in the American workplace. Employees like to use their own devices because doing so makes them free to do work on their own schedules and at the places of their choosing. Additionally, employees often prefer to use their own devices because they can personalize the devices to meet their personal taste and work style. Likewise, many employers like their employees using the employees’ own devices, both because studies have shown increased employee satisfaction from using their own devices and also because employees can be more productive (and more reachable during off-hours) when their own devices are used for work purposes. Furthermore, an employer can save money by having employees use their own devices rather than company-issued equipment.

In the article, Michael discusses the numerous legal issues that companies could potentially face if they do not manage their BYOD policies. He then provides the following solutions to address these dilemmas:

• Have technology in place to protect company information.
• Think through the company’s critical information and take steps to protect it.
• Make clear that employees cannot misuse the employer’s computer system.
• Pay for the employee’s cell phone.
• Employ tight exit procedures for departing employees.
• Require the contemporaneous reporting of time worked.
• Prohibit the use of devices when driving.
• Extend litigation hold notices to personal devices.

  To read the full article, visit Voluntary Benefits Magazine.