BYOD stands for "bring your own device," and employees are going to do it whether your business and IT team like it or not.

Examples of BYOD uses range from employees checking company email on their personal smartphones, to letting dust gather on company-issued laptops because people prefer to use their own machines with their own software.

Employees just want to get their job done fast with the tools they know. Companies, of course, have to consider a ton of issues, from who will support and service an employee-owned device used for business to security. And if you don't think there are any real privacy concerns, consider these seven scary things employees can do with their mobile devices.

If you're running a startup or a small business that's bullish on innovation, you really can't deny employees the option to bring their own devices to work, though. Like I said: They're going to do it on some level whether you like it or not.

Here are a couple of basic dos and don'ts for BYOD.

First, do allow employees to bring their own devices, but don't make it a requirement. You shouldn't deny employees the hardware and software (and device-management permission levels) they need to get their jobs done. Give them what they need, but allow them the option of using their own equipment if they'd prefer.

Do make a decision about what should and should not be accessed on employee-owned devices. Take some time to think about whether certain kinds of data need to be locked down and treated differently from other information. You don't have to make everything under the sun available.

Don't overwork your IT team in getting people connected. Instead, do provide clear and concise instructions for setting up email, VPN connections, and anything else that gets a company-wide go-ahead. You can put these instructions on a company server or social network, where everyone can find them, and they're easy to update when the documentation changes. The real idea here is to empower people to help themselves as much as possible.

Do have clear information and rules regarding the employees' responsibilities. For example, if an employee brings her own laptop on a business trip for business purposes, and it's stolen, who will pay for a new laptop? Or if your IT team has the power to remotely wipe a smartphone with company data on it, will the employee's personal data also be wiped (hopefully the answer is no)? You want to have clear rules about these kinds of situations. Make sure everyone knows what these rules are, too.

One very important rule is don't let anyone walk around with business data on a phone, tablet, or laptop that isn't password protected. Having a password on the device itself is one of the most basic security measures you can have. Do make it a requirement.

While you're at it, do install encryption software on those devices, or provide instructions for employees to do it.

Finally, don't expect to save money. Some reports show that allowing BYOD keeps cost either relatively the same or increases them slightly. BYOD is not about cutting costs. It's about increasing efficiency, and maybe keeping employees happy. And remember that a BYOD policy is just one piece of the pie in a larger mobile device management strategy.