Remote employees offer a brand-new wealth of unique advantages to your company. However, that also inevitably comes with a whole batch of risks that you might be unfamiliar with in the context of traditional work. Here’s what you need to look out for.
Require Safe Password Practices
Step one of basic security is to have everybody use passwords. This is probably a great idea even in an office setting, just in case – and an even better idea with those who work from home. Without it, anyone passing by a temporarily abandoned work computer could do what they wished within the inner annals of your company. Even avoidable accidents – like a toddler mashing on the keyboard – can cause far more damage than you might expect. It’s best for everybody to be safe rather than sorry. Even if serious corporate sabotage isn’t likely, sensitive information is sensitive for a reason.
Encourage Network Security
On one hand, you need to take care of the physical security with passwords. On the other hand, you also need to take care of the digital security that is inherent in technology and internet use. If you’re a big enough company, hackers will certainly try to target you – since every company deals with sensitive customer information in some way. Make sure that your employees do their part in protecting against possible attacks. For example, free Wi-Fi comes with a serious security cost: a vulnerability. Make sure to train each employee on a standard set of basic cybersecurity protocols so they know how to avoid vulnerable situations such as that. If you don’t know where to start, talk to a cybersecurity consultant.
Keep Thorough Records
Keeping records in every aspect of your company is essential. When it comes to security, it will help you be able to monitor and prevent potential problems – as well as diagnose them once an issue arises. If your employees are using company equipment of any kind, make sure that you carefully record when, how, and who is using which gear. On the software end, you may want to use software that can track employee work. Do NOT use anything questionable, illegal, or overly invasive; simply use a company portal that can tell you which accounts were accessing or uploading what relevant documents and for how long.
Both in-person work and remote work come with their own problems. As you adjust to this new era of technology-enabled business, keep in mind the advantages that you will have once your bases are covered. You and your employees will be empowered with a new flexibility that can transform your company.
Check out this article on situations the employer is responsible for addressing!