An Anonymous Coward writes the following story:
I’ve long believed companies should offer workers a choice in the technology they use in the office and when working remote. Doing so lets employees use what they feel is the best choice of devices for their work, it can help attract and retain staff, it lessens the likelihood workers will go rogue and source their own technology (aka shadow IT), and it establishes a positive relationship between IT and the rest of an organization.
Companies like IBM and SAP have documented their experiences in moving to an employee-choice model and have declared it a success. But does that mean it would work for every company? And how do you decide which way to go?
The most important question in developing (or expanding) an employee-choice model is determining how much choice to allow. Offer too little and you risk undermining the effort's benefits. Offer too much and you risk a level of tech anarchy that can be as problematic as unfettered shadow IT. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Every organization has unique culture, requirements/expectations, and management capabilities. An approach that works in a marketing firm would differ from a healthcare provider, and a government agency would need a different approach than a startup.
Options also vary depending on the devices employees use — desktop computing and mobile often require differing approaches, particularly for companies that employ a BYOD program for smartphones.
Most employee-choice programs focus on desktops and laptops. The default choice is typically basic: do you want a Windows PC or a Mac? Most often, the choice only extends to the platform, not specific models (or in the case of PCs, a specific manufacturer). Keeping the focus on just two platforms eases administrative overhead and technical support requirements. It also allows companies to leverage volume purchases from one partner in order to receive bulk discounts.
Have you been allowed to choose your own technology and equipment at work? What were the choices offered to you and what restrictions were placed upon them?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by ElizabethGreene on Sunday August 07 2022, @05:08PM
I work for a Fortune 50 tech company. My last hardware refresh was 3 months ago. I was offered a choice of a dozen or so laptops. I have special hardware requirements (Ram for VMs), so I asked for a non-standard choice in the same price range. It was approved without incident.
The machine was shipped directly from HP to me with a default non-customized Windows image. I *could have* booted up and let autopilot drop me right into Intune, but I have trust issues. Instead, I re-imaged it with known good Win11 media first. My only complaint is my new kit doesn't have a wired ethernet port. Mea culpa, I should have read it in the specs, but damn. There is a Gig-E port on the docking station, but HP has had that on backorder since October of last year. :/
My prior refresh was 5/21/18, and I deferred getting new kit once prior to this most recent refresh. I would have kept using my old system, but the CPU wasn't (officially) supported on Win11.