{"id":60471,"date":"2022-04-11T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-11T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/?p=60471"},"modified":"2024-11-14T19:22:26","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T00:22:26","slug":"how-to-create-a-byod-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-byod-policy","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a BYOD Policy in Your Organization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The bring your own device (BYOD)<\/a> trend has been gaining traction across the global workforce for around a decade now. More recently, the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic further cemented this trend into workers\u2019 day-to-day lives<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the prevalence of remote work, it\u2019s more convenient than ever for employees to use their personal devices for various work purposes. This makes their lives easier, and it can save your organization money when implemented and managed correctly. Other device policies you might consider too are CYOD, COPE, and COBO<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you choose to allow BYOD and you want to empower your employees to use their personal devices for work as securely and efficiently as possible, you need to create a BYOD policy for your organization. The BYOD policy can be a sub-policy that fits into your overarching remote work policy, or it can exist as its own entity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have identified your business goals, analyzed existing policies, assessed the risks of BYOD<\/a> as well as the benefits of BYOD<\/a>, and taken some time to understand potential BYOD use cases, you\u2019re ready to create the BYOD policy itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get started by following these guidelines:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Establish the scope of the policy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Dive into privacy protection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Outline security and compliance initiatives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Simplify the sign-up process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Establish reimbursement guidelines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Plan for ongoing maintenance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Write your policy down before implementing it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    1. Establish the Scope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Begin creating your BYOD policy by laying out the exact scope of what it covers. The scope needs to include the types of devices and operating systems allowed, as well as who owns the phone number associated with a mobile device used for work calls, how and when any necessary training will take place, and a list of permitted apps and software (or a list of any blacklisted tools). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These are just some of the items that need to be checked off in a BYOD policy \u2014 tailor your policy to your organization\u2019s specific needs in whatever way makes sense to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Device Scope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    When listing out the devices and operating systems that are allowed to be used in your BYOD program, consider your current technology and tools \u2014 can you only manage Windows devices with your current setup? If this is going to be a big issue, you might need to consider moving to a device management platform that supports a wider range of devices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    On top of that, find out what kind of devices employees already use, as well as their device preferences. You might not be able to support every single device, especially the more obscure ones, but asking these questions will help you determine your support capabilities and prioritize the most popular choices. All of this information will help you set the scope of your policy and troubleshoot any potential problems before they arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To effectively monitor personal devices, specify that jailbroken and rooted devices are prohibited. Add to the policy that a mobile device management (MDM) tool<\/a> will be used to ensure that a device is compliant before the user is able to access your networks and resources from it. If that device proves to be non-compliant, outline what steps will be taken to solve the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Protect Privacy: Separate Personal and Company Data<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If your employees have any concerns about the BYOD policy, they\u2019re likely going to revolve around privacy. To mitigate these concerns while protecting your organization, use the BYOD policy to explain what data will be monitored on different devices, and how you will segregate personal and organizational data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Personal data should go into its own bucket and be left untouched and unmonitored by the company. Don\u2019t forget to specify who owns the information on the device and exactly what counts as personal data and what counts as organization-owned data. Further, in the event that a device is lost or stolen and needs to be wiped, it\u2019s important for employees to understand that their personal data would also be at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Data storage is another item to add to your BYOD policy. Specify where data will be stored \u2014 either locally or in the cloud. If you choose locally, explain how data separation is ensured to protect privacy. This will likely include the use of an app or data management tool to properly and securely segregate personal and business data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By showing employees exactly what you will and will not monitor as well as how<\/em> you will monitor data, you will build an important layer of trust while keeping your organization safe and protecting user privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Compliance and Security Initiatives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In terms of what employees need to know about other BYOD security<\/a> and compliance initiatives, your policy should include a list of device policies you plan to use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some example policies include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n