Organizations on the cusp of adopting BYOD strategies often voice one common concern: How do you remove sensitive company information from the devices of departing employees? This is of course an entirely valid question. After all, the commingling of personal and professional data does underpin the BYOD concept. While this facilitates optimal efficiency, it also creates complications – especially when it comes time to remove enterprise information from privately owned devices.
Luckily, companies can easily work out this particular operational kink and protect mission-critical information by following these BYOD data removal best practices.
Develop strong policies
Carefully conceived security policies buttress the most effective BYOD programs. When employees understand mobile usage expectations, they can tailor their behavior to meet company standards. Similarly, if the time comes to move on, they can take the appropriate steps to divvy up the data on their devices. Consequently, it is wise to establish clear procedures for departing employees. Those subject to termination should be made aware that they are required to submit their device for wiping immediately after they are removed, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Individuals leaving on their own volition must do the same, albeit in manner that suits their departure timelines.
Simply documenting these policies offers clarity to employees and the information technology staff tasked with removing company data from devices. However, organizations should have corporate lawyers review their BYOD bylaws prior to publishing, as overly harsh or loose requirements can lead to legal exposure, SHRM reported. For example, companies that fail to remove sensitive data from the devices of former employees could be in violation of customer privacy laws.
"Partitioning features give organizations the power to isolate business information from personal content."
Embrace enterprise mobility management
Enterprises must have visibility into the company data employees access on their devices. This is easily achieved via enterprise mobility management software, according to CIO Dive. IT managers can not only use these solutions to track employee mobile activity but also access partitioning features, which give organizations the power to isolate business information from personal content. This allows for a clean digital break when it comes time for device-wielding workers and employers to part ways. How is the information removed? Most companies wipe devices, targeting the business data that has been sequestered using the partition.
Again, it is best to exercise extreme caution when wiping the devices of former employees, according to SHRM. Organizations with successful BYOD policies notify workers before removing any information and often give them the chance to sort through and backup personal data in case of error.
Train anyone involved
In addition to developing thorough BYOD policies and implementing enterprise mobility management software, companies should offer exhaustive training to anyone who may handle employee devices or participate in key exit processes such as wiping. This instruction will reduce the likelihood of operational hiccups that could result in data loss. Plus, the training can give IT staff and other employees the knowledge they need to perform their duties without opening the company up to legal exposure.
Of course, before embarking on the BYOD journey, enterprises must evaluate their current networking infrastructure to see if it can handle the burden of such a strategy. Those with older legacy systems may consider launching an IT modernization effort before permitting the use of personal devices within the workplace. The Inventu Flynet Viewer makes it easy to bolster existing networking fixtures and prepare for BYOD adoption. This cutting-edge solution meets the needs of businesses and employees in a way that feels both familiar and simple.
Connect with us today to learn more about the Inventu Flynet Viewer or explore our other product offerings.