By now it’s profoundly obvious that the way we work has been fundamentally altered. Gone are the days of conforming to the rigid “office” structure. Companies will now be able to adapt the way they work, focusing on how employees want to work and need to work without fixating on where they work.
Employers expect the proportion of regular home workers in the UK to double from 18% to 37% following the pandemic. Plus, a recent survey by Gartner found that 82% of business leaders plan to make hybrid working a permanent feature of the workplace. However, for some industries, such as education or manufacturing, working from home is a near impossibility. The reliance on legacy systems, requirement of face-to-face teaching, and limited access to computer connectivity or internet speed, determines that there will never be a complete replacement for on-site access.
The term ‘new-normal’ may be the phrase of choice for many but with data like that it becomes clear that there is now no such thing as ‘normal’, every organisation will be moving forward using a model that works for their unique demands. Every business is unique, there is no one size fits all. With all these changes, remote work and cyber security should be top priorities to ensure your company is safe.
No matter your approach, security must be your priority
The new reality will challenge how businesses evolve, as security postures will be ever changing. Organisations will need to make sure they have a fundamental and true understanding of their people, processes and technology making sure these are being consistently reviewed. However, this need to assess remote work and cyber security is currently going unnoticed, underreported and is generally misunderstood.
Due to the rapid rate at which businesses were forced to close their doors and adapt to working from home, few will have the security measures in place to ensure their data is fully secure. Whether your organisation is fully returning to the office, adopting remote working or remaining fully remote, each approach presents its own unique challenges.
But are you approaching your security the right way?
In the wake of the ever growing and ever evolving security threats we’re being bombarded with, more and more products professing to magically address your security challenges. But inevitably these products need to complement existing systems and can sometimes end up restricting accessibility, hampering productivity and can even cause their own security concerns.
With the right solutions provider on your side, instead of creating a Frankenstein’s monster of integrated products and programs, you can create a bespoke system that meets your business objectives, therefore making remote work and cyber security less of a concern.
Once you understand how your people work, the needed compliant processes, along with the IT stack in operation, you can then properly establish a robust, yet flexible IT security policy and strategy. Not only will you be able to establish a process that safeguards your systems and data and complies with increasingly comprehensive legislation, it will allow employees the freedom to work collaboratively, regardless of their location or device.
At Axians C&C we look at your IT security landscape as a whole, including your individual methods of working, before giving you choices. We work with you to create a robust security policy that keeps you safe whilst optimising user accessibility and network speed to maintain productivity. We always ensure that all business models including remote work, and cyber security go hand in hand to reduce any potential risks.
Whilst the new reality does offer it’s challenges, it is also an opportunity to take a holistic approach to your IT security management and build a better, more resilient future for your organisation.
Get in touch with Axians C&C today.