More businesses are shifting to a remote or hybrid workforce, making it hard to navigate this new reality. You want your business to be protected from cyberthreats and you need the proper technology and support for your employees so that they remain productive.
We’ve seen it reported that telecommuters tend to be up to 20% more productive when tackling creative projects, and most employees say they wish to remain working remotely or with a hybrid schedule. Unfortunately, only about 72% of remote employees say they have access to all the tools they need to do their jobs.
The best remote work plans can have a significant impact on IT operations. That starts with reliable devices and extends to addressing application updates, centralized access to data, and secure user administration.
Productivity matters, too. Managing logins for too many business applications cuts into the time your employees are focused on work. If meeting portals don’t work, the engagement of attendees can plummet. If data doesn’t properly sync between office computers and personal laptops, employees can’t finish critical projects.
How can you secure remote employees and boost their productivity?
- Make sure all systems are patched and up to date; roll out updates during off-hours
- Turn on full disk encryption to protect data at rest and in transit
- Bring mobile devices under your company’s overall security umbrella
- Build extra layers of perimeter-based security around your business
- Monitor traffic and activity using remote management configurations
Policy and Procedures for Remote Work
- Standardize Policies – Create a set of policies for your employees around “acceptable use” that includes: what device(s) they are permitted to use, how they should be keeping them safe, and what the devices can be used for.
- Education – Provide your employees with information on cyber threats so they can stop threats in their tracks. Employees are the first line of defense in the war on cybercrime, so ensure they are trained to spot phishing emails and know how to avoid falling for social engineering scams.
- Passwords – Require employees to use secure passwords. The use of a longer passphrase that includes special characters and numbers is a great way to ensure a secure, memorable password. Never reuse the same password as a way to make sure that if one application gets hacked, the others aren’t compromised as well. Don’t write down passwords on a piece of paper or in an excel sheet; instead, save them in a password manager application. Use MFA and SSO whenever possible.
When correctly deployed, technical safeguards can help simplify administrative tasks, reduce labor-intensive access management, and make everyday work easier for your staff.
At CMIT Solutions, we’re committed to helping our clients navigate remote work. We can help you meet today’s needs while planning for tomorrow’s vision, rolling out tools that boost efficiency and productivity for your employees while adding extra layers of security to your business.
Work with a Trusted IT Partner
At CMIT Solutions, we are here to help you navigate the transition to remote or hybrid work. We will ensure that you have the technology and controls in place to protect your business and keep your employees working efficiently.
To learn how we can help your business, contact us for a free consultation.
