BYOD: just one of the issues requiring a shift in approach for mobile, flexible workplaces

Marissa Myer’s edict to her Yahoo workforce two weeks ago that working remotely will be no longer possible for her employees ignited fierce debate across media sites and the online world. For some businesses, having the team gather at a physical location on a daily basis is critical, while for others, incorporating the concept of virtual work, flexibility and mobility into their business model is seen as both good business sense and an unstoppable force.

Michael Bloomberg considers working from home “is one of the dumber ideas I’ve ever heard”, while Richard Branson is for it, believing choice empowers people and makes for a more content workforce.

Managing a virtual workforce has numerous challenges such as keeping track of what everyone is working on, leading a remote team, costly security issues and ensuring high productivity.

Last year, Fast Company published 3 Tips for Managing a Virtual Work Force, aimed at keeping a finger on employee morale.

Tip #1 Make sure you have the right tools in place including collaboration and document sharing tools, avoiding the confusion of multiple versions by leveraging tools like DropBox, and shared calendar programs like iCloud.

Tip #2 Reward people, virtually or otherwise suggests ways to monitor billable hours and other metrics, and how to keep morale up in this emerging cultural workscape.

Tip #3 Incorporate in-person connection stresses the importance of connectivity and cultural isolation issues, which was highlighted by Sharon Ferrier on her recent behind closed doors Think Tank post: Working from home stifles creativity.

Bring Your Own Device - a radical shift in client computing
One of the other challenges hitting workplaces is the BYOD (bring your own device) trend, which is gathering pace. Ten years ago, organisations issued executive teams and travelling staff with Blackberrys and laptops, while nowadays, sales and business development staff are issued with tablets. However, many employees these days own their own smartphones, tablets and laptops and don’t like to carry, or move between, work and personal devices.

Gartner considers ‘the rise of bring your own device’ programs is the single most radical shift in the economics of client computing for business since PCs reached the workplace.” (BYOD: New Opportunities, New Challenges, Gartner Report, 16 August 2012)

BYOD requires company policies that don’t compromise security, increasing the risk of data leakage, and keeping track of vulnerabilities and updates. This has seen the rise of Mobile Device Management Software and specialised companies offering solutions in this space.

BYOD can create headaches for business - but benefits employees
behind closed doors member and a Manager of Information Services, Jodie Rugless, has implemented a BYOD policy for her workforce and believes hers to be in the first 10% of Australian organisations to do so. In her opinion, the benefit of BYOD is employee satisfaction and personal productivity improvement. People like using the devices they are used to and, as a result, they are more personally productive and satisfied.

For benefits on the organisational side, however, there are many skeptics out there. Steve Ranger, executive editor of ZDNet and TechRepublic UK, wrote recently about why BYOD won’t suit every business BYOD: 10 reasons it won’t work for your business. Ranger believes the BYOD culture may not work for everyone: staff resent paying for their own phones, laptops and tablets; it can make life harder for the IT department; it won’t cut costs; and security is one of the biggest headaches.

• What’s your view of BYOD?
• As a leader, how do manage your people around flexibility and working off site?

I would love to hear from you!

Donny