We reported in our HR and business outlook for 2013 the increased emergence and in some cases reliance on BYOD (Bring your own device).

BYOD is the policy and acceptance of allowing employees to bring and use their own IT devices (typically phone, tablet, PC/Laptop) for work use

Recent research has found its use has grown rapidly in high growth markets like Russia and Brazil (where it’s reached close to 75% of companies) while in the USA and other mature markets it’s closer to 50%

You may think that BYOD is something companies have to specifically elect to do (they should), but it was surprising to read that almost half of BYOD use was unmonitored (either ignored by IT or unknown to IT).

So BYOD, whether you’ve implemented it or still on the fence or ruled it out, is here to stay and its use will likely only grow.

Benefits can include

Reduced IT capital spending
Increased productivity / program access
Improved morale/talent attraction – this last one is a bit...

Most of us would be hard pressed to deny use of use employer provided internet access and paid time for personal use.

In fact a survey by salary.com in 2012 found that over 64% of employees use employer provided internet access for personal use at some point each day. Most employees 68% spent less than 2 hours each week with close to 39% surveyed spending less than hour.

The challenge for companies is to find the correct line between time wastage minimisation and employee well being, productivity and happiness. Especially in today’s social and mobile connected world it’s no longer just a case of employers blocking specific sites – as employees can easily use personal smart phones to access the internet OR easily circumvent IT restrictions.

Some of the survey findings highlighted they key challenge for HR and business essentially whether this time truly wasted. Most employees (71%) felt that short breaks include personal internet surfing / reading made them more...

Social Media, is it an Asset, Liability of just a Fact of Modern Life? It depends who you ask and also how it is managed. Managers may see it as a timewaster but many employees view it as a necessary way of networking their customers, colleagues and a way to express their views.

From the companies perspective it can be enormously valuable if the organisation is open to new ideas, the employees are happy and enjoy good conditions and are well managed. It can promote the company image, help in recruitment and product and service promotion. If however the company culture is poor, employees are not happy and there is a general atmosphere of mistrust then this benefits will not be realised.

On the other hand it can become another distraction to work for employees, in some cases it could allow the leakage of confidential private documents or publish inaccurate company information.

The reality is that whether employers like it or not it is here to stay, they need to recognise that it is...