Businesses around the world are facing unprecedented challenges. Everyone is being asked to self-isolate and practice social distancing, which puts businesses in a tough position. Do you shut down completely, or allow employees to work from home? It obviously depends on your business, but most companies have opted for the latter.
Most business owners want to know how they can keep their teams productive, grow their revenue and continue to build their business while managing a dispersed workforce. One of the best ways you can do that is to help your employees create a successful environment to work in from home. And while it sounds simple, an effective remote work environment takes more than just ensuring your employees have a laptop and phone. It’s important that you determine what technologies they need, how you can keep their networks and computers secure, and how you can help them set up a comfortable and productive environment.
For now, “business as usual” is going to involve a major shift. To adjust to a work from home model, you need to do three things:
1. Don’t allow employees to use home computers or devices
Your company computers and network are secure and protected from malware, viruses and cyber attacks while personal computers may not be. Personal devices are used to downloaded music, videos and more, which increases your businesses exposure to cyber threats. To keep your business safe, provide your employees with a secured company device to use at home. And make sure you have an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) so employees know what they can and cannot do with those machines.
2. Ensure your Wi-Fi Network is Secured
If your employees Wi-Fi networks aren’t password protected, then their personal info and your company info are accessible to all manner of hackers. To properly secure your employees Wi-Fi networks, they must use WPA2 level encryption along with a complex password. That password should be long and random so it can’t be cracked by a determined hacker. To take security to the next level, they should also enable the firewall on their router, and hide their network name.
3. VPN must have two factor authentication
The employees’ virtual private network (VPN) must use multi-factor authentication. This means that there is an additional layer of security for your business. Your employee will have to verify themselves with a code that is sent to their phone each time they access your network.
Adapting from a traditional office centered environment to working from the comfort of your home can be a challenge. You need to have the right tools and infrastructure in place to be productive and secure. If your business needs some extra assistance right now, or a solution to allow employees to work from home, we are here to help. Give us a call at (416) 966-3306 and someone from our office will assist you.