In today’s technology-rich era, personal devices are practically a way of life. You will find it difficult to locate individuals who don’t own a smart phone, personal computer, tablet, or any combination of these items. Because so many employees are bringing these devices into the workplace, business owners and/or managers might notice it affecting their staff, and those effects aren’t always on a positive note. What can the use of personal devices at work do to your company?
First, personal devices can decrease efficiency and take away from an employee’s work time. Use of laptops, tablets, and phones for connecting to social media, enjoying YouTube or varying online content, chatting with friends and/or family, etc. mean your staff members aren’t necessarily sticking to the job throughout the day, even though you are paying them at the same rate. While there’s no way to totally limit the use of personal devices at work, you can put some safeguards in place to make sure your staff isn’t misusing time. This can include placing blocks on certain social media sites from the internet router providing office wifi, and putting protocols in place that, while based on the good faith of each employee, request that devices be used only during break times or in emergency circumstances.
In addition to the lack of efficiency, personal devices can also be a security risk if your office has its own network set up. If sensitive data is passed within your business network, a personal device being connected to the network could serve as a “portal” for unsavory characters to use as access to sensitive information. That could be a huge blow to your business. Again, you can’t completely limit the use of personal devices at work, but you do have control over your own network and your wifi options.
PHR Staffing Solutions believes in the importance of technology in the workforce, as even our applications utilize both website and social media platforms to recruit, review, and accept applicants for our various openings. However, we believe in the responsible use of technology, and personal devices, and as an employer you have the right to put rules in place to protect yourself and your business. We want to see your business succeed, so whether it’s offering tips for maximizing efficiency, to providing top-quality applicants for your staff vacancies, we are here for you.