When you set out to work for a company, you kind of expect that they’re going to supply you with everything you need to get your work done. For instance, you might be given a computer to work from, a smartphone device, a laptop or even a car in some cases. Obviously, these things don’t come cheap.

They’re not free for the business and although there are tax breaks on purchasing equipment, you’re still paying a serious amount of cash just to equip your employees. However, you should be willing to provide your employees with equipment because it allows them to do their work properly.

But what if you’re just a small business that can’t afford it? If you’re a startup, then spending thousands on an employee to ensure they can do their work is going to be a little daunting. But if you don’t do that, how are they going to do any work?

This is where a bring-your-own-device policy can help. This is popular with smaller companies that work exclusively in the cloud. With a remote workflow, you don’t really need to have a company computer because all of the software is in the cloud. Thanks to this relatively modern way of working, it’s completely possible to get work done regardless of your location in the world. This is something that your business needs to accommodate, but it’s a great way to open up employment opportunities.

Using a BYOD Policy Can Save Money

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Asking our employees to bring their own devices is going to have a huge impact on your company’s expenditure. You avoid having to pay for computer devices, the costs to run them and also the costs to maintain them. You also save on training costs should you be using specialised hardware that is unique to your business or industry. If you’re using familiar cloud applications in your workflow, then there’s no need for your employees to go through a training process and they can quickly be integrated into your workplace.

However, it’s worth mentioning that there are a couple of drawbacks in terms of cost as well. Since you have no control over the devices or equipment that they’re using, you can’t really control issues related to security or data loss. For instance, an employee might neglect their security duties and accidentally leak a password or data that results in your business being fined for data security negligence.

In short, the financial gains from using a BYOD policy can be great, but you should also remember that there are drawbacks to it as well that could cost you a lot of money.

It Can Alleviate Some of the Responsibility If You’re a Small Business

There are many situations where a larger business must take on the responsibility of looking after their employees, the equipment they use and also how they use it. For example, if your employee is using a company car and they end up in an accident, then you’re going to need to go through many different processes to ensure that your employee is safe, your car can be repaired and there is compensation if the accident wasn’t their fault. A quick search for a “car accident attorney near me” should reveal plenty of options to help you through such a difficult situation, but it’s important to do your research and look for an attorney that is reputable, in your area and understanding of your situation.

This is just one example of the responsibilities required of a business should their employees end up in some kind of trouble with the devices, hardware or equipment they are using that is provided by the company. However, if you’re a small business that uses a BYOD policy, you can alleviate some of the pressure and responsibilities involved.

A great example would be a contract clause that states your employees must be responsible for their own devices. This is something that would be similar to how delivery drivers and private transport services work. If they are using their own vehicles, then things such as car maintenance and repairs must be handled by the employees themselves. You’ll likely assist them by offering to pay for things like gas or legal fees, but most of the work will be carried out by the employee themselves.

BYOD Opens up Opportunities for Remote Working

One of the best things about switching to a BYOD workflow is that it offers you countless options for adopting a remote workflow. As a small business, being agile is incredibly important and is one of the top priorities so that you can reach out to more talented individuals. It also enables you to hire people that might not necessarily be in your local area, as with most businesses that have a physical location.

There are countless benefits when it comes to taking advantage of remote working. Your employees will feel a lot more satisfied with their work, they’ll have a better work-life balance and they’ll also have the option to customize their home office, leading to more productivity. Of course, this is going to depend on the individual as some people find it difficult to cope with the responsibility of working independently. However, you can avoid most of these issues by focusing on hiring people that are accustomed to working from home.

To conclude, a bring-your-own-device policy has lots of advantages for a smaller business that are growing, but it’s important to remember that you’ll eventually have to scale up your operation and start equipping employees, especially if you have a physical office location. Many companies do stick with remote workflows and have a mix of employees, but it’s not something that works for every industry and you’ll need to decide for yourself if it’s worth using as a long-term plan or just a short-term solution to help you adjust to your business’s growth.