Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) policies can be beneficial to many businesses. There are obvious savings in IT costs, and BYOD policies allow employees to use devices and systems they are already familiar with and need less training in. In addition, it gives everyone some flexibility in where they work and how they access data for business.

On the flip side, BYOD policies also carry certain risks. First and foremost, there are security issues associated with keeping business and customer data safe. The good news, however, is that simple but effective BYOD work protocols easily handle these concerns.

Establish firm password protocols

According to a recent Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon, 80% of data breaches are the fault of weak, compromised, or reused passwords. This is only part of the problem, though. While you may be having issues with employees practicing secure password protocols, there is also a possibility some passwords have not only been already compromised but are up for sale on the dark web.

Because password theft can lead to devastating problems for your business, you need to set a secure password protocol for employees to follow — even when using their own devices. Make sure they aren’t sharing their passwords with others. Wherever possible, require two-step authentication for an added measure of security.

Require employees notify you of lost devices

No one likes losing a mobile device — your employee, especially. Just the same, it happens on occasion. When it does (and it likely will at some point), make sure they inform you immediately. The sooner you’re notified, the sooner you can take steps to protect your data by changing passwords and removing device ID permissions.

Try not to employees too much grief over the loss of a device. If you discipline employees too harshly, they may not report a lost or stolen device until it’s too late.

Review guidelines regarding wireless use

There is no doubt that WiFi and Bluetooth have done wonders for portability and productivity. All the same, they also bring new risks. Unprotected or public WiFi networks can allow bad actors into your system. Some might attempt to monitor your employee’s activity off their WiFi-connected mobile device to capture data or even plant malware or spyware. While Bluetooth devices need to operate at a closer range, there is still the potential for illicit data capture to occur.

Require employees to turn off WiFi and Bluetooth when their mobile devices aren’t being used. This will keep the devices from accidentally connecting to an unsecured network. Ideally, you want employees to avoid all public WiFi networks whenever possible. So long as your data is in their hands, you need them to take security risks seriously.

Get employees up to speed on phishing scams

You may already have policies in place in the office concerning phishing emails and similar scams. Do those policies extend to employees’ personal devices? They must be prepared to deal with potentially fraudulent emails and messages on their own devices. Ideally, they should be aware of the dangers regardless of whether or not they’re conducting business at the moment.

In short, employees need to be as vigilant with their personal accounts as they are with work ones.

A 2019 PCMag report states that 83% of the organizations surveyed reported phishing attacks during the previous year. It’s more important than ever to train employees on phishing and hacking trends. Doing so will go a long way in helping avoid potentially crippling data breaches and malware attacks.

Have a policy for exiting employees

When an employee leaves your employment, be sure they aren’t also leaving with your data. Before anyone leaves, require employees to present their device to you or your IT department so it can be cleared out of anything having to do with your business. Remind employees that this isn’t an issue of trust but one of security and your business’s obligation to its clients.

Allowing mobile devices to be cleared before exiting should be a part of your business’s written BYOD policy, signed by each participating employee, and part of any new employee’s information packet. This way, there are no surprises.

If you don’t already have a BYOD policy, get one started

A sensible, security-minded approach to BYOD policies can give you an enormous advantage when it comes to keeping your business safe from data breaches and other cyber attacks. It also sends a message to clients that your business is serious about its obligations and responsibilities.

If you don’t have one in place already, create a BYOD policy as soon as you can. Make sure to review and update it periodically to keep up with growing or evolving threats. Common-sense cybersecurity shouldn’t be seen as an inconvenience. Ultimately, it’s a practice meant to protect your bottom line.

Along with your business’s reputation.