3 easy steps to avoid common risks of remote work

Once a rarity, then a necessity, remote work has an uncertain future. The flexibility to work from anywhere has become a coveted benefit for today's workforce, and provides valuable flexibility for employers — like hiring top candidates, reducing overhead costs, and competing in the global economy. But for many companies navigating the realities and complexities of today's remote working environments, borderless work can be anything but seamless.

While the adoption of remote and hybrid work had been on a slow yet steady trajectory of growth since the early 2000s, the pandemic was a tipping point for which many companies were unprepared. The work world changed overnight and large-scale issues like data integrity, information security, and systems integration became pressing priorities.

Now that the dust is settling, organizations are re-evaluating their information systems decisions … and for good reason. Information is power and cybercriminals are savvier than ever in their efforts to obtain it.

Without proper precautions, your business is at risk for disruptive and expensive security breaches. Here are three ways to help ensure your information stays safe.

When remote and hybrid devices are not properly protected, your company’s data can be at risk.

1. Awareness and training
   The first step in protecting your company's data should be empowering your employees. When employees understand the immense risks involved in security breaches — and know what tricks and tactics to watch out for — they are far more likely to take extra precautions to prevent them. Ensuring that all employees are thoroughly trained and understand the importance of adhering to security policies is paramount.
   
   Make sure your trainings are informative and engaging. Start with the basics (like password-protecting business devices or the dangers of using public WiFi networks) and work your way through. Be certain employees understand policies, procedures, and how to report suspicious activity, and be supportive — humans make mistakes and creating a secured remote culture takes a village.
2. Data encryption
   One of the easiest ways for a criminal to get their hands on sensitive information is by accessing it directly through a worker's device. If an employee's smartphone or laptop isn't properly protected, your company’s data could be at risk.
   
   Implementing desktop encryption into your remote workforce technology can greatly enhance the security of company laptops. By rendering info on a lost or stolen computer inaccessible, remote technology services automate the protection process as the first line of defense. Email encryption systems can also provide an added layer of security for specific messages that contain particularly valuable or proprietary information. This is critical for businesses in heavily regulated industries (such as healthcare), or for organizations in which compliance is an ongoing concern.
3. The right tools
   As more and more businesses adopt variations of permanent remote work policies, the need for robust and agile information systems and solutions is greater than ever. The patchwork solutions and quick fixes that saw organizations through the pandemic aren’t going to be enough to sustain an increasingly digital workforce. From tools for the online transfer and storage of documents to technology that enables real-time communication and collaboration, the key to creating a secured remote culture is unlocking the power of your information — and then safeguarding it.
   
   Adopting scalable, enterprise solutions that offer visibility throughout the organization and allow employees safe and secured access to the information they need when they need will have the 
   competitive advantage — now and into the future.

Source:  RICOH USA