Construction firms that have yet to implement a "bring your own device" policy have thought about it, and others that have made the switch need to be sure they address all of the security concerns.

There are very few firms that aren't allowing employees to use their devices for business purposes. A recent survey conducted by IDG Research Services found 85 percent of companies support BYOD, while 70 percent of IT professionals believe that firms failing to use BYOD would be at a competitive disadvantage.

Personal devices lead to improved productivity
Employees who are using devices they are familiar with are sure to be more efficient when they are using them to complete work in the field. The research showed 81 percent of IT decision makers and 78 percent of employees believe BYOD policies give staff the ability to balance their work and family lives.

In the workplace, 28 percent of employees believe using their personal devices for work purposes is a great opportunity to access company productivity solutions and resources such as builder construction software.Forty-three percent of workers said BYOD helps when trying to share larger files.

BYOD policies must focus on security
Device security is imperative for firms that have vast amounts of information in the cloud or company email that can debilitate the firm if compromised. The survey indicated IT executives and employees feel very strongly about securing such devices with 84 percent of IT pros and 74 percent of workers saying device security is the most important component of BYOD.

"Shifting from an enterprise-owned mobile device fleet to having employees bringing their own devices has a major impact on the way of thinking and acting about mobile security," said Dionisio Zumerle, principal research analyst at Gartner.

Remote wipe is something Gartner suggests all firms should focus on. Regardless of how powerful and efficient a device may be, the ones that cannot be configured with security software to remotely wipe them when they become lost or stolen are not worth the investment. The security of business critical information is something all construction companies must hold in high regard.

"Policies and tools initially put in place to deal with mobile devices offering consumer-grade security must be revised to deal with these devices being under the ultimate control of a private user, rather than the organization," said Zumerle.