It’s really taking off: public sector organisations are beginning to embrace ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) initiatives. They are letting employees use their own smartphones, tablets and computers at work, instead of the standard-issue hardware that they would have used in the past.

But why? What do they stand to gain?

Reduced costs

To some extent, the trend has arisen out of necessity. The public sector is required to reduce costs, and BYOD helps it to do that. Some organisations provide contributions or allowances towards the cost of the devices that staff want to use, but in many cases it is the employee who foots the bill.

It’s also a great, flexible solution to the problem of variable staffing levels. In offering BYOD, organisations can avoid a scenario where, after reducing the size of their workforces, they find they have overspent on hardware that they no longer have any use for, and can’t return to manufacturers. BYOD also enables more staff to work from home, which is good news for organisations tasked with using fewer desks.

Another benefit of allowing people to use the platforms, applications and technology they already use at home is that you don’t have to train them to use new ones. BYOD also reduces the cost of ongoing maintenance: people typically take better care of their own belongings.

Increased staff satisfaction

‘A happy employee is a productive employee,’ as the saying goes. People who can use the same stylish devices that they use at home are more likely to be happy at work. Having a choice in what device you use at work certainly seems attractive to high-ranking staff in public sector organisations. In our experience, senior councillors, clinicians or professors are often the most prominent driving force behind an organisation’s decision to offer BYOD.

What about the risks?

Some organisations are slightly nervous about the unwanted side-effects of introducing BYOD. Can they maintain control of their software, data and infrastructure? The short answer is that they can, providing they take the right precautions and have the right IT in place. There are three big areas to consider.

The first is the technology itself. Microsoft, VMware and Citrix are three examples of vendors whose technology enables organisations to deliver applications, data and indeed desktops to any device, whether PC, thin client, laptop or tablet. Their technology lets you keep the data secure in your datacentre but still display and interact with it on the devices in question. No data is left on the device when the staff member disconnects; it’s all in the datacentre. This technology has been around for years, but is becoming far more popular now that it is possible to deliver a full desktop experience rather than a terminal services session.

The second consideration is the service provision. Public sector organisations should work with good providers who, in addition to delivering the underlying technology, can handle the connectivity, security and ongoing management of everything needed to implement a BYOD initiative. The provider should be able to accommodate an off-premise hosted solution, if required, and deliver a good virtual experience with no latency.

The third consideration is policy. What policies and processes do you need to have in place that, as well as protecting employees’ privacy, keep your organisation’s data secure and devices visible and in your control? Imagine, for example that someone has stolen a staff member’s iPad on a train. Has the staff member signed an agreement that lets you erase (remotely) sensitive data stored on that device?

Now that all of the components of a successful BYOD initiative are available to public sector organisations, we anticipate that the trend for employee-owned devices will accelerate. But in the short term, some organisations may choose to test-drive the idea before taking the plunge into a more cost-efficient, higher-satisfaction world.