As lockdown lifts and employees are starting to return to the office, many businesses are playing around with a hybrid workforce model. A work week made up of a mix of days at home and the office comes with a unique set of challenges, and one big question: How to maintain security when employees work remotely?
ESET shared 3 ways to make hybrid work safe and productive while protecting the best interests of both employees and companies.
Productive Hybrid Workforce
#1 Install antivirus software on all devices for peace of mind
From an employer’s perspective, in a perfect world employees would use their work devices at the office, where they’re hooked up to the company network and monitored by a trained IT department. They would then leave them there until they returned. But the hybrid model has led to “workspaces” becoming more fluid. While this gives employees a lot of flexibility, it also means they’re bringing their work devices home, which could make them vulnerable from a cybersecurity standpoint.
With cyber attacks like ransomware and malware on the rise, it’s essential to have safeguards in place for a secure remote workforce, whether you’re emailing and Zooming from home or the office. An easy way to protect your devices and data is by installing a premium antivirus software on all devices you use for work (including personal ones). After all, you don’t want to be the person who brings a virus to work because you clicked a malicious link on your phone!
ESET Protect Complete provides a multi-layered defence against a range of cyber threats, strengthens WiFI networks and webcams, and scans attachments and images for viruses. It also protects your cloud email, collaboration and storage systems (like Google Drive), and offers endpoint protection, which is handy when team members are working remotely and switching between computers, tablets and smartphones.
Once you’ve installed it, make sure you accept all updates. They may seem to pop up frequently, but your software will be refreshed in the time it takes you to stretch your legs and make a cup of coffee.
Top tip: Toting your laptop to and from the office? Invest in a sturdy, locked case to keep it safe, and store any external hard drives in a different bag if possible.
#2 Encrypt and back up your business files
Every employee needs to access or share data to do their job. Unfortunately, data is a valuable currency for cybercriminals, so you want to make sure your company’s data doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. Encrypting your data can prevent that from happening and stop unauthorised users from accessing it.
Luckily, most devices have built-in operating systems that fully encrypt stored data, such as macOS’ FileVault and Windows’ BitLocker. Your employer might use a third-party system, too. Either way, these tools will basically “lock” your work devices so that even if someone steals them on your commute, they won’t be able to open any of the files. You can also restrict access to shared documents and spreadsheets to specific people.
As for backing up your files, make it a habit to do this every week. Put it in your calendar and treat it like any other work task — it’s that important. Aim to maintain two backups: one on an external hard drive or flash drive, and another on the cloud. That way, if you are hacked or your server crashes, you’ll be able to recover any lost or corrupted data much faster.
Top tip: Setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA) will add an extra layer of security and boost your remote workforce security. A software like ESET Protect Advanced can help you to activate MFA on all your accounts, which means you’ll need to enter a username, password and one more piece of information to successfully log in.
#3 Set healthy boundaries between your work and personal life
Let’s be honest: the depths of lockdown felt like one long workday. With the sudden shift to remote work for a lot of us, many people struggled to separate their work from leisure time. After all, when you’re sending emails from the couch, it can be hard to know when to stop.
It’s important to take control of your time, and set boundaries. These are a few examples:
- Block out an hour for lunch each workday.
- Create a Slack status called “taking a break,” and use it whenever you need to run an errand or get some fresh air.
- Mark your calendar with the hours you’ll be online and available to chat.
- Ask for flexibility if you need time for caregiving, appointments or other life admin, and explain how you’ll make up the time for work later.
- Turn off your messaging notifications when you’re done working for the day.
- Switch off email notifications on your phone — especially if you have colleagues in different time zones.
By setting boundaries, you can manage expectations, avoid burnout and make sure you have plenty of time to wind down in the evenings.
Top tip: Connect to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) before logging in to your company’s intranet or tools like Gmail and Zoom. VPNs encrypt data and hide your IP address to protect your privacy online. Plus, it’s another kind of mental boundary if you have to use a personal device for work purposes. Once you’re off the VPN, that means it’s time to unplug!
Give hybrid work the cybersecurity high five
The productive hybrid workforce can be the best of both worlds: employees get that in-person contact and camaraderie when they’re in the office, and more flexibility when they’re not. And with a little effort, it can be a secure setup for the company, too. Check out ESET’s Digital Transformation to stay on top of cyber threats, and reach out to the team if you have questions.
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