Employees who embrace BYOD feel judged

There is a strange side-effect to the Bring Your Own Device initiative, and one that's slowing it down. Apparently, many employees refrain from bringing their own devices to work for the fear of being judged.

No, not because their devices are old or slow, but because others will think they're using them for personal instead of professional reasons.

Yes, that's a real fear, and it's quite prevalent. According to Nudge Rewards just 40 percent of employees feel trust is not an issue when using BYOD.

Just a quarter (23 percent) say they are actively encouraged to use mobile devices in the workplace. A third (31 percent) is not allowed to use mobile devices at work, and a quarter (26 percent) is 'confused' about it. For almost a third (29 percent), trust is an issue. Managers and senior staff don't trust them to use the devices properly, the report states.

Half of employees (49 percent) serving customers say it’s making them more efficient. A third (32 percent) is using the devices to answer customers’ questions, and another third (33 percent) use them to communicate with colleagues and co-workers.

"Even in this digital age, it’s clear there is a disconnect between what benefits mobile devices and BYOD policies can deliver -- both in terms of consumer experience and organizational efficiencies – and managerial mistrust around employees’ use of mobiles in the workplace," comments Gary Topiol, managing director, EMEA, at Nudge Rewards.

"To ensure that staff have the tools they need to effectively fulfill their role and deliver against heightened customer expectations, companies need to place more trust in their employees and embrace BYOD usage to ensure they can provide the best customer service possible."

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