BYOD: The Key to a Safer Work Environment

Apps make everything easier – catching up with friends, finding the best pancakes in in town, or even overnighting a cat collar to your front door. 

Today, 3.3 billion people use smartphones globally. In many emerging markets, due to the lack of infrastructure and the availability of computers, the smartphone (or feature phone) is the most accessible personal computing device (52%). So, why is it that businesses are often still so reluctant to use that enormous scale to their advantage? 

Bring your own device (BYOD) is considered one of the biggest accelerators of digital transformation for businesses, especially for learning technology. It could be the key to creating a safe and healthy work environment, putting valuable knowledge right at the fingertips of frontline workers on a device they already know how to use. Meaning everyone can find what they need, right when they need it. 

Yet, employers have been skeptical about just how much traction the idea would have. Would employees really want to use their personal phones and tablets for work? What are the security implications of including these private devices on a corporate IT infrastructure? 

We decided to find out. 

In our report Mobile & Micro-learning for Health, Safety and Beyond, we assessed the results of original research that surveyed a demographic of 1500 full-time employees. Our goal was to investigate: the willingness of people, the set-up processes, and the usage and consumption of content, and when people would use their mobile for work purposes. 

Here are some takeaways for health and safety managers and HR decision makers. 

Find out what motivates your employees 

46% of our respondents said they use their personal phone for work with only 15% having a separate corporate issued device.  

What motivates them to use a work app? They are more likely to use their phone if it gives them recognition for their efforts, supports  their work/life balance by better managing their workload or reducing paperwork or admin. And they are looking for opportunities to learn new things and grow in and outside of the workplace 

If you cater to the priorities of your users, they will be more willing to adopt and use the technology. But choosing and deploying the technology is only half the job. 

In the whitepaper: How to market a work app internally – a three-point checklist.  

Establish trust early 

Big brother is a major concern. Almost half (48%) of 25-34 year olds are concerned about privacy, especially in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica Facebook scandal, the relative newness of GDPR and the thousands of cookie agreements on every website. 

For employees to engage with your work app, you’ll need to quell concerns like: “Will it spy on me?” “Will it cost me to use it?” and “Will it take up all my storage?”  

There must be a guarantee of personal safety, just as you would expect in your personal lives. Without it, people won’t engage. To gain the trust of users, you must be upfront and completely transparent about what data you are gathering and why you’re gathering it. 

In the whitepaper: Tech focus: How to balance security with both privacy and usability. 

Keep file sizes small and ensure people can access content offline 

BYOD is a game-changer. It flexes to remote working patterns, equipping workers on shop floors, building sites and on the field. But that accessibility comes at a cost, in the form of storage space and large data plans.  

It’s no wonder then that our survey found that 30% of our respondents expect a work app to function offline. This percentage rises when you consider the younger workforce. . Consequently, we predict that over the next five years the demand for offline capabilities will steadily grow.  

Nuanced working patterns require nuanced solutions. Think about where your workers are, and what files they’ll be expected to access quickly and easily. It’s worth acknowledging that the work app can’t be a drain on the user’s personal storage space or data.  

In the whitepaper: How to create a valuable and inclusive work app. 

Creating an engaged workforce 

It’s clear that BYOD is an enabler for workforces and businesses alike. But to deploy the right solution for your people, the tool you choose must be tailor made.  

Keep in mind the four aspects of the science of delivery:  

• Willingness: Step into their shoes. What are your employee's preferences, tastes and habits? What’s in it for them? 
• Set up: It’s less about the technology you’re buying and more about the context you’re already working in. What devices are you using? In which locations? At what times? 

• Timing: Cater to early-birds or night owls. When and where are users going to engage with the technology? What does this mean for functionality and accessibility? 
• Usage: Consider how employees already work and fill in the communication gaps. What do you want your people to learn, and how are they going to interact with the content? 

With the right technical support and engagement plan in place, employers can start communicating with their teams more effectively – allowing them to fully exploit the deskless future of work vision we all want.  

Launch an engaging work app that makes everyone’s lives easier. Learn more in our whitepaper Mobile & Micro-learning for Health, Safety and Beyond. Download it today.