Tech experts predict BYOD will take a new turn in 2014, and it might be the answer for companies hesitant to adopt the practice. Company owned, personally enabled (COPE) devices are a hybrid of sorts; COPE takes an approach that incorporates the benefits of BYOD and traditional company-owned devices.
The pros of COPE
With 60% of IT and security specialists displeased with BYOD, COPE might be the middle ground that many companies need. As BYOD gains popularity, some IT departments are becoming increasingly nervous about the security of their data. Some companies are finding that COPE gives employees the same access to reliable devices that they would have with BYOD, but can provide reassurance to employers with security concerns.
As with BYOD, employees have the ability to use one device for both professional and personal purposes (within reason), but COPE allows the employer to regain control. Because the company owns the device, if an employee leaves the company, there is no fear of restricted data on his or her device being compromised.
Shutterstock/Slavoljub Pantelic 1
The cons of COPE
Because COPE devices are company owned, there is an added monetary cost, particularly if the company has been using a BYOD model.
Perhaps the biggest downside of COPE is the resulting blurred lines surrounding employee privacy. Because the devices are granted with the understanding that they can be used personally, companies may end up with access to employees’ personal email, social media accounts, online banking information and more.
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