Security clauses that should be included in your hybrid workspace policy:
The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented shift in the way people work. Although most companies initially relied on a fully remote work model, the vaccine rollout has led to popularising hybrid work environments where some, if not all, staff will work a portion of their week on premise and some period off. This in turn has raised the question: how can businesses secure this type of setting to ensure that both on-site and remote staff can avoid cyber threats?
This question is relevant because hybrid workspaces have never existed at this scale, and most businesses were not structured to function in this manner. A hybrid work environment has elements of both the traditional on-site work model and the remote work model. Employees can choose to work from home, at the office or a combination of both.
Security clauses that should be included in the hybrid work policy:
- Clearly define the positions eligible for remote work, those that are suited to hybrid work and the functions that are on site only. Make sure your company enforces those arrangements. Your ICT policies and procedures are there to protect your company but cannot do so adequately if you allow for too many unplanned variables. By allowing employees to choose their own set ups when and wherever they wish could greatly increase the risk of security breach.
- Be transparent with employees. Everyone should be aware which job roles are better suited to work remotely and which are not due to security and functionality reasons. Unfortunately, not every position is a good fit for remote work. If you don’t have a clear guide in place, chances are work-from-home approvals will be judged as unfair. We can assist you in exploring tools that can enhance your ability to facilitate work from home and hybrid options for your employees as well as demonstrating how better to secure access for those that do have.
- List the tools and platforms to be used. Both remote and on-site employees should be on the same page and only use approved tools, such as cloud storage platforms, communication/video conferencing tools, project management tools, etc that the company together with their IT advisors have agreed and implemented.
- Provide employees with steps to follow at the first signs of intrusion. If they believe the company’s information has been compromised, they should have a clear guide to follow, such as where they should report the incident, be instructed to immediately change their passwords, etc. These steps should be included in their mandatory cybersecurity training, alongside other guidelines such as how to create strong passwords.
Read: How Can A Cyber Security Company Like SybaWeb Help A Business Like Yours | SybaWeb
By collaborating with Sybaweb, a specialised partner in technology, through risk assessment and asset management you can prevent vulnerabilities from escalating into full-blown disasters. Our knowledge encompasses all you will need to both identify, plan and implement a tailored solution to protect your business and provide training for your team to avoid cyber threats.
Contact us today (Contact Us | SybaWeb) to talk to our specialists. We’ll seek to understand your concerns, identify your vulnerabilities and propose solutions to improve your security.