A new study from Insight UK has found that opinion is still
fiercely divided when it comes to BYOD schemes, with many suggesting that such
schemes cause more problems in the workplace than they solve.
Insight polled over 200 IT managers and directors in the UK
with an average annual tech spend of between £50,000 to £100m, with up to
10,000 employees. Companies from a diverse selection of industries were asked
how BYOD schemes affected their business.
79% said that they were not in process of setting up a BYOD scheme,
but of those who are, or have already implemented one, 82% said that they had
seen clear improvements in staff morale.
71% of all respondents said that they did not expect the use
of personal devices to impact on productivity in a negative manner; however,
48% said that they imagined a BYOD would incur some cost to the company.
"The hidden costs will be in trying to support iOS
& Android and Windows 7 & 8 and Macs when we currently only have one
operating system," said one respondent.
More than half of those surveyed said they could see
why some companies might go back to a desktop scenario due to worries
surrounding security and costs associated with BYOD schemes.
"I don't see this reducing cost for the foreseeable
future. Costs will only rise, as once BYOD is in place, it will then swiftly
turn to business demand on IT purchasing these devices and providing them to
staff, which brings a whole raft of new issues, such as justification, grade
specific only, support of devices etc.," said another reply.
Further worries included those associated with paying
contributions towards each machine, as well as the infrastructure needed to run
the scheme overall, including ensuring adequate security protection. Support
costs were also a cause for concern as IT departments would have to adapt to
make room for different OS.
67% of those asked said that they believed executives are
still likely to BYOD and this above anything else appears to be what divides
work forces. At a time when many businesses are tightening their purse strings,
the fact that those at the top are given devices makes for resentment through
the lower ranks who are feeling the pinch the most.
Ashley Gatehouse, EMEA Vice President Marketing, Insight UK, said: "I
think the survey clearly demonstrates that opinions are still divided when it
comes to BYOD within the enterprise. Obviously staff welcome the flexibility
such strategies bring, but the results also indicate apprehension from many in
IT.”
"It's
clear that this is an area where businesses are still looking for guidance
around implementation and cost, and perhaps one where IT managers might have to
come to some kind of arrangement with the needs of an ever-demanding workforce.”