- Monitor and control all devices remotely from a central platform.
- Schedule the bulk task for automatic implementation.
- Create alerts to detect abnormal behaviors and trigger associated workflows.
- Define the device functions according to the regulations of the company.
What is CYOD, and Should Your Business Implement It?
The 9-to-5 offices of yesteryear were driven by uniformity: If a visitor entered one, they were bound to see rows and rows of identical-looking desktops. This standardization continued into the advent of mobile when companies issued the same devices to employees, even if their needs differed.
CYOD is a shift in this thinking, enabling employees to select the mobile device that works best for them. CYOD gives employees this flexibility along several different dimensions.
1What is CYOD
CYOD Meaning: Choose your own device (CYOD) is a policy that enables employees to choose their company-issued device. Employees can pick their preferred device type, whether phone or tablet, along with other details, such as brand, model, and memory capacity.
CYOD is a superior alternative to assigning employees to a particular device: People enjoy greater productivity and morale. Organizations implementing a CYOD should use an MDM to handle all devices, streamline management, and provide top-notch remote support.
Type
The most basic freedom of choice is with the type of mobile device. Previously, organizations locked employees into either smartphones or tablets.
With CYOD, employees can choose the one that works best for them. Salespeople who frequently give many one-on-one presentations may opt for a tablet. By that same token, one of their colleagues who does most of their sales through cold calls may prefer a phone.
Some employees may even opt for a 2-in-1 device that provides functionalities from both laptops and tablets, such as a touch-based keyboard.
Source: Pexels
Brand and model
It would not make sense to allow employees to choose the type of device, but they would still be locked into a particular brand or model.
Many employees may have their preferences based on what they use personally. For example, one employee might prefer any phone with an Android-based operating system because that is what he is accustomed to.
With CYOD, employees can pick their ideal brand and model within their chosen device type.
Other secondary attributes
Finally, many companies extend CYOD to other attributes of the chosen device. For example, some organizations may enable employees to choose between different color options. While this choice is purely aesthetic, it gives employees the feeling that the device is theirs.
Other choices do matter for functionality. Some enterprises may allow employees to pick their storage capacity. Employees with memory-intensive work, such as the company photographer, may opt for a device with a higher allocation, such as 512GB or even 1TB.
Under a CYOD policy, employees can personalize their mobile devices rather than accept a one-size-fits-all solution.
2What is the current status quo
Organizations considering a CYOD policy must first evaluate their current system for allocating mobile devices. Companies generally fall into one of two categories in how they allocate mobile devices prior to changing to CYOD.
Company-wide standardization
This approach is the most common: Every person gets the same mobile device. If the company chooses the latest iPhone, everyone in the organization — from the CEO to the repairman — gets that device.
This system is most accessible to administer: Procurement teams can place a large wholesale order for that device. IT teams will have an easier time repairing the device because they only have one to master. Furthermore, IT teams can more easily replace the unit with an alternative if a phone is lost or stolen.
The major disadvantage is that everyone is pigeonholed into the same device, which may undermine productivity. For example, a field service agent who needs a large tablet to view detailed explainer videos may need help watching the same content on a tiny smartphone.
Source: Pexels
Tiered allocations for mobile devices
The other common approach is a tiered system, where companies designate particular mobile devices for different groups. For example, one company might give executives a premium device and rank-and-file employees a more basic one. Another business might allocate one device to the sales team and a different one for the marketing department.
This system is closer to ideal, but it still needs improvement. Even within the same department, employees will have different needs best addressed through unique phones. In addition, assigning different phones to various employee groups may breed jealousy or resentment. Some employees may view their assignments as inferior to other groups and begin to question how much the organization values them.
- Both systems for device assignment — company-wide standardization and tiered allocations — are inferior to CYOD. Employees should have the freedom to choose their preferred device, so that they maximize their productivity, efficiency, and satisfaction.
3What are the benefits of a CYOD policy
Productivity boost with a CYOD policy
Giving all employees only one type of software does not make sense. Why, then, do organizations take this approach when it comes to hardware? Assigning every person the same kind of device company- or group-wide- undermines productivity: A person’s tools, including their phone or table, should be specific to what they do.
CYOD makes sense as a policy because employees will always be the best judge of what will work for them. They will know which device type is ideal, which specific brand and model, and what if any, other specifications they need. When employees are provided with the right equipment, their productivity will skyrocket.
Take the scenario of a content marketer who finally gets a smartphone with enough storage to handle a marketing stack comprising several dozen apps. The company will benefit from the marketer’s ready access to various content creation and distribution tools.
Improved morale through a CYOD policy
When companies issued desktops to office-based employees, the moment was anticlimactic. A person from the IT team walked you to your desk and gave you access to your desktop, which resembled every other model on the floor. There was little sense that this desktop was indeed your own.
This feeling applies the same to mobile devices. When assigned from a general pool of all the same makes and models, employees don’t feel much of anything. With a CYOD policy, companies can change the sentiment, giving employees a sense of personalization: This device was commissioned for their and their needs alone.
Through CYOD, businesses can transform device turnover into a morale boost. While this effect may seem unimportant, it can make a severe difference for many companies: Employee well-being has been constantly flagging post-pandemic.
Recruitment with the aid of a CYOD policy
With hybrid and remote work configurations more popular than ever, employees no longer care about free-flowing coffee and beer, foosball tables and beanbags, and other office-based perks. They prioritize benefits that make the most impact on how they work.
Because of this perspective, many employees seek out organizations with a CYOD policy. It doesn’t make sense to have the convenience of working remotely and only being force-fed by a specific type of mobile device. If employees are afforded flexible work, they should also be extended flexibility in their choice of device.
Organizations that embrace CYOD will have a competitive advantage in recruiting. They will attract a broader talent pool, win more head-to-head recruiting battles, and bring digitally-savvy employees into the organization.
4Why is it easier to implement a CYOD policy with an MDM
Device agnostic
While offering CYOD to employees is a great benefit, it is generally an operational nightmare for IT teams. Instead of having only one type of device to manage, or even several, the IT team will have to configure dozens of different devices, each with its own user interface, settings, and configurations.
Learning the unique system of manifold devices can be a job on its own, pulling IT away from more crucial functions. With an MDM, in contrast, businesses can centralize this management under a single interface that supports all different device types.
For example, AirDroid Business MDM solution supports any mobile device so long as the popular Android operating system powers it. Placing all phones and tablets under a universal platform streamlines management, making it easier for IT teams to monitor and track employees and their devices.
Remote end-to-end functionality
Some companies offer CYOD but require on-site setup, troubleshooting, and turnover. These two systems do not match. If your business provides the convenience of CYOD, it does not make sense to hassle employees by requiring them to bring their devices to the office for every need.
Remote support is more aligned with CYOD. With an MDM, businesses can offer remote support across the device life cycle, beginning with zero-touch enrollment. They can also deploy apps and updates entirely remotely.
If an employee has trouble with their phone, the IT team can remotely access the device for troubleshooting, even if it is unattended. Finally, if an employee gets a phone lost or stolen, the company can remotely wipe it back to its factory settings.
When paired, CYOD and remote support are unbeatable for remote and hybrid employees.
Automated management
The most significant risk in CYOD is that it adds another layer of administration and management to already busy IT teams. Employees who chose their preferred device might do so for non-business reasons, such as wanting the best tablet for streaming or a phone with the most memory to work a second job.
An MDM ensures that this is not the case. For example, businesses can set automated alerts on AirDroid. To combat non-work uses of mobile devices, enterprises can set data thresholds. When this threshold is exceeded, which may indicate extensive non-work use of a device, the IT team is automatically alerted.
These alerts can also cross the digital divide. A business can set up a geofence around a particular area, such as the main city it operates in. The IT team will also get an alert if an employee leaves this geofence during work hours, which may suggest moonlighting.
With these alerts, IT teams cannot manually monitor CYOD devices. They can receive alerts, investigate incidents, and decide whether further action is needed.
5Why businesses must adopt a CYOD policy now
Remote and hybrid work configurations were once a rarity among workforces. Now, they are becoming the norm. Organizations that still require employees to come into an office and sit from 9 to 5 need help attracting and retaining talent.
The same pattern is happening in device policy-making. CYOD policies were once uncommon. They are becoming more popular, so much so that organizations without CYOD may be at a disadvantage.
Businesses eager to adopt a CYOD to create competitive advantages should do so with an MDM, which can centralize different devices under a universal interface, simplify day-to-day management through alerts, and enable remote support that further enhances the flexibility of a CYOD policy.
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