Practicing Good Habits
And Good Cyber Hygiene While Working Remotely

Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic caused an overnight influx of millions of workers across North America to convert to a commute-less work environment. However, with the sudden call for social distancing, many organizations were caught off guard and did not have time for proper planning or training to help employees make the transition.  

Before the pandemic, 38% of remote workers Were not trained on how to work remotely. (Owl Labs)

While some organizations had pre-existing contingency plans and remote work policies set in place, others were left to troubleshoot their way through the first couple of weeks. Many spent the first weekend thinking, “working from home isn’t easy.” Those new to the concept found it to be immensely different than their typical day in the office or on the road.

Here are some strategic tips to help managers guide their teams into making the jump from desktop to kitchen table, and also for employees learn to work safely from home on their way to becoming Remote Work Warriors.

Building Your Remote Army

To start, here are some tips on what managers will need to initiate safe remote work protocols.

Cultivate A Clear Remote Work Policy

The words one-size-fits-all do not apply in these circumstances as each organization’s relative needs, employee function and size can vary. When building a remote work policy, the main takeaways that managers will need to consider are:

• Outlining expectations on employee availability

• Opening specific communication channels for remote workers

• Clarifying data security protocols and best practices through awareness training

• Creating measurable goals

Filling security gaps  

Along with job fulfillment, data security will be one of the main concerns for managers transitioning their staff into a mass remote workforce. Working from home can pose endless distractions and unasked questions, therefore, it is crucial to quickly identify what key vulnerabilities need to be addressed so the focus can be elsewhere. Many of the major areas in data security rely on the end user, thus requiring the following- having secure online connections, proper security awareness training, and practicing safe web habits. Equipping users with the proper safety tools can include the following:

• Virtual Private Network (VPN)- VPNs create encrypted network connections keeping users safely connected from remote locations. They are an essential tool for data security at home, especially for employees that will be needing to access internal data and internal-use only sites.

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)- Managers should enable MFA instead of just using simple user IDs and passwords. MFA offers a deeper layer of security that can be more difficult for hackers to crack. Even when MFA is in use, users should continue to utilize strong password etiquette.

• Remote Access Services- Working from home introduces a major challenge to information security when employees use personally-owned computers on unsecured networks. When an employee uses their personal computer to access company data, there can be a greater risk of virus, ransomware and data theft. Likewise, a hole can be created in the company’s network security once a link between an insecure personal device/network is made to the corporate network. For these reasons, many businesses turn to using technologies that enable staff to work on their office computers from home. This ensures all data stays within the corporate network, while security is controlled. There are a variety of technologies that can provide you with a solution to remote access depending on your company’s/employee’s needs.

Enable proper work environments

Remember, online access will not be identical for each employee. Some employees might be using personal devices that are outdated and inadequate, some might have poor internet access (slow connections), and others might be using unsecured network connections. Be sure to collect data on the items you can and be aware that there may be a need to make some investments into such things as internet plan upgrades, user device security tools (antivirus, etc.), and even corporate device upgrades.

HOW TO BECOME A REMOTE WORK WARRIOR

Now that you have your initial remote policy steps in order, here are some tips you can pass along to your team members to help them all become remote work warriors.

Stay VIGILANT

As mentioned earlier, there can be many challenges that come from working from home. Safe web habits, including email safety and awareness are hard enough when working from the office. Adding in distractions from home such as kids, pets, Netflix and others working closely in the same space, could all provide even higher data security risks. Remind employees what to look out for when dealing with email attachments/links, financial/data requests and general web browsing. If proper security tools are not in place, employees will be without the protection of your office antivirus and firewall. A refresher on cyber security awareness training is a great weekly idea, especially with the recent flood of COVID-19 scams that have hit the internet.

Know How to Ask Questions

While it might be an obvious statement to, “ask if you have a question.” Many employees new to working remotely or those less tech savvy may need more guidance during the initial transition. With the chaos that has ensued following the social distancing order, it might be even more intimidating for people to ask questions knowing how busy others are at this time. Make sure to point out with whom questions should be directed to and highlight communication channels encouraging staff that any issues or need for troubling shooting should be addressed immediately.

Zero Trust Email Policy

The COVID-19 pandemic has opened the window for cyber criminals to target the large number of remote workers. Be sure to warn employees not to open links from unfamiliar sources or without confirming sources and senders. Rather than clicking on email updates on the pandemic, they should go directly to the official websites of the CDC and WHO, or to official news websites.

Spoofing clients, vendors, colleagues, external news sources, agencies, friends and family will all be highly used tactics in luring remote employees during this time. Be wary of free mask giveaways, fake donations/relief aid and other COVID-19 based scams.

Productivity Tip: Morning Routine

Begin each day with a morning routine. If you had one at the office, try your best to replicate it at home. Keeping the same morning routine will help activate your mind and body to prepare for work each day. Don’t just lazily roll out of bed and turn your laptop on, keep yourself accountable and ready to face the challenges of the day with a positive and familiar start.

If you don’t have a routine yet, now is a good time to start 😊

With recent developments on COVID-19 revealing that it may keep us from getting back to the office any time soon, many of us might begin to feel even more isolated. Learning to embrace our new remote environments and getting comfortable with the latest technologies that help us to engage and connect with each other will be crucial in making each other feel more at ease with each day.

Teaching team members how to utilize tools safely will be a major challenge for every organization. However, keeping with the theme of this pandemic, we are not alone. If you need help creating/improving your remote work policy or business continuity plans, please reach out to team@happierit.com.

If you’re not yet a happier IT client, but you are interested in learning more about improving your remote work policy, please contact sales@happierit.com.