What's a BYOD policy when it's at home?

By Taylors Solicitors

27 Mar 2015

BYOD is a 'Bring Your Own Device' policy. And with ever more of us with devices constantly stuck to our ear and pressed firmly in our hand, employers need to be alive to the risks and benefits to their business of letting employees 'BYOD'.

By Emma Swan, employment partner , Taylors.

BYOD is a practice that allows employees to use personal mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, for business purposes. Many employers are attracted to allowing employees to use their own devices because it means they are able to work longer hours by interacting with the company’s IT systems outside of normal work hours.

However, it is important as an employer that you are not lulled into a false sense of security.

There are both legal and commercial risks that arise with BYOD and you need to consider the issues carefully before allowing the practice and if you do, make sure you implement a policy to help you maange it across your business if you chose to take this route.

Whenever there are new access routes to data, there are inevitably new security concerns and BYOD is no exception to this. As well as concerns associated with the loss or leaking of commercially-sensitive data, employers also have legal responsibilities around the security of certain data under the Data Protection Act 1998. The Information Commissioner’s Office has made it clear that these responsibilities apply “regardless of the ownership of the device used to carry out the processing”.

Employee responsibilities should be carefully addressed in a BYOD policy. Issues around misconduct, discrimination and confidentially that may arise where there is improper use of an employer’s IT systems are usually already addressed in an employer’s IT policy. However, a BYOD will need to consider further issues.

So what can you do to help control some of the risks to the budiness and develop a BYOD policy? Here are some of the points that you should consider:- You should review your systems and take steps to minimise vulnerabilities before allowing the widespread use of personal devices. Once this has been done, devices should initially only be allowed on a trial basis, by reference only to a limited number of staff so that all of the various functions can be properly tested. You should also vet the types of devices that you allow your employees to use and employees should only be allowed to use devices that are secure. You should ensure that devices have a strong password and that they lock automatically if an incorrect password is entered. It should also be a requirement that your employees using encryption software to store personal data securely and that any data transferring will only take place through an encrypted channel. Any BYOD policy will need to make it clear that any work data will remain the employer’s property.

The policy should also include a requirement that the employer’s data be deleted from a device if an employee either resigns or is dismissed.

One of the risks around BYOD is that it may be more difficult to detect or demonstrate that an employee has taken or misused commercially-sensitive information. The policy should include a requirement for the employee to hand over any personal device that has been used to access the employer’s information as and when an employee resigns or is dismissed so that the employer can check whether confidential information has been properly and permanently deleted. It is also important that, in order to enforce the BYOD policy, you are able to demonstrate that your employees were aware of the policy and they accepted the terms.

Latest news

1

New India branch campus on the horizon for Lancaster University Keir Starmer meets Indian PM and included Prof Simon Guy Lancaster University. Pic Simon Dawson

New India branch campus on the horizon for Lancaster University

09 Oct 2025

2

Best events and talented students complete finalists list for Lancashire Tourism Awards 2026 Best Events and Talented students on Lancashire Tourism Awards finalist list

Best events and talented students complete finalists list for Lancashire Tourism Awards 2026

09 Oct 2025

3

East Lancashire Learning Group named UK digital transformation leader in CIO 100 Awards Andrew Dewhurst with the award win

East Lancashire Learning Group named UK digital transformation leader in CIO 100 Awards

09 Oct 2025

4

PHX Training appoints new business leader in Blackpool Jason Davenport PHX Training

PHX Training appoints new business leader in Blackpool

09 Oct 2025

5

Velocity seals Airbus extension worth up to $54m Velocity Composites Has Announced Its Entry Into The Us Market

Velocity seals Airbus extension worth up to $54m

08 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – Oct 10th
Ai 10.10.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
10 Oct 2025 - 10 Oct 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – Oct 10th

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 12:00

Unlocking major project opportunities in the North West
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

Unlocking major project opportunities in the North West

Strathmore Hotel, Morecambe, LA4 5AP

08:00 - 10:00

The New Employee Rights Landscape: Day One Compliance Essentials
EventBrite NORi - 15th Oct 2025 Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
15 Oct 2025 - 15 Oct 2025

The New Employee Rights Landscape: Day One Compliance Essentials

Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Teams, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

The Autumn Re set - pour me a wine
LBV Advert_Autumn Reset 1200 x 630px.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

The Autumn Re set - pour me a wine

The Artistry House , Preston , PR1 3JJ

17:30 - 19:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Header (26).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

October Freelancer Meet-Up
LBV Hub Networking
16 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025

October Freelancer Meet-Up

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues
EventBrite NORi - 22nd Oct Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
22 Oct 2025 - 22 Oct 2025

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues

Online - Teams, Leyland, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin