What are the Benefits and Drawbacks to Providing my Employees with Cell Phones?

As an employer, you may sometimes weigh the pros and cons of providing your employees with cell phones.  

Providing cell phones does give you a degree of control: it provides hardware and software consistency and enhances your Company’s professional image.  

On the other hand, there are some considerable drawbacks to consider: 

  1. It’s expensive: First, you front the device bill and then have the ongoing expenses for plans, support, replacements, and upgrades.   
  2. It’s time-consuming and adds to IT and administrative workload: Providing employees with cell phones means tracking each device’s ownership, purchase and repair history, and checking long-distance charges to ensure they are business-related. You’ll need to provide support for each device, and retrieve the device from each employee as they exit the Company.  
  3. It puts a strain on your employees: You may meet resistance from employees who want to avoid carrying a personal and business phone or learning a new operating system. Additionally, carrying a company phone makes it difficult for employees to disconnect from work during non-working hours. The responsibility of having a work phone can be stressful for employees (especially if they lose it or leave it behind somewhere!).  

Certainly, there’s a lot to think about. We have a solution that is both superior to the pros and eliminates the cons: let your employees bring their personal device and provide them with a business mobile phone app like NEWT Mobile.  

newt-mobile-phone_mockup-v5-1024x683 Cost Efficiency and Employee Satisfaction: A Case for BYOD in the Workplace

Take your business anywhere with NEWT Mobile.

What are the Professional and Personal Benefits of a BYOD Policy with the NEWT Mobile Business App?  

Embracing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach aligns with the current trends in many workplaces, and for good reason. Allowing employees to use their preferred devices has advantages to both them and the business, that far outweigh the benefits of providing cell phones:  

  1. Cost-effective

    Utilizing NEWT Mobile on personal devices eliminates the need for employers to purchase and maintain company phones. 

  2. Provides a professional call environment

    When an employee calls out using the NEWT Mobile app, the Company’s call display will appear. When an employee receives a call through the NEWT Mobile App, they will immediately recognize the incoming call as a business call, which alerts them to answer as an employee of the business.  

  3. NEWT Mobile features add convenience and efficiency

    Calls sent and received from a NEWT Mobile App remain in the phone system and can be easily transferred internally. Call Detail Records and Call Recordings (if activated) are also captured. SMS is also available through the NEWT Mobile App on a per-user basis for added convenience and professionalism.  

  4. Easy implementation

    Implementing a business phone app is quicker and more straightforward than managing a fleet of company phones.  

  5. Administrative freedom

    Simply reimburse employees a fraction of their monthly device bill to save yourself the hassle of phone contracts.  

  6. Improves employee morale

    Employees can use the device they are already familiar with, reducing stress and boosting employee satisfaction.  

  7. Maintains personal privacy

    The NEWT Mobile app allows employees to keep their personal cell number private. This is especially beneficial for dentists and other medical professionals who can enable patients to reach them in an emergency, without distributing personal phone numbers.   

  8. Supports work/life balance

    With a BYOD policy and NEWT Mobile, employees don’t have to deal with after-hours phone calls. The Time of Day and the Day of the Week extension management feature allows employees to set their office hours in the NEWT Mobile app and route after-hours calls to their corporate voicemail or to another on-call colleague.

Make the Best Decision for Your Business Needs

Ultimately, the decision between providing company phones or using business phone apps on personal devices will depend on your specific business needs, industry regulations, and workforce preferences. Establishing clear policies, addressing security concerns, and communicating effectively with employees are crucial steps to ensure a smooth implementation.

If exploring the NEWT Mobile app is a route you’d like to pursue, we can help. Contact us at 1-888-996-6398 or www.newt.ca/get-a-quote/. We’re here to answer any questions and empower your business for success!