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Record numbers of businesses have made hybrid work the norm, but what impact is this having on how organisations operate?
As technology has evolved, the demand for flexible and remote working has grown. Communication technologies like the cloud, Zoom and Microsoft Office mean it’s no longer necessary for an entire workforce to be under the same roof in order for the work to get done. And with benefits in terms of work–life balance and travel costs, many businesses are throwing out the traditional office 9 to 5.
Remote working (working away from the office entirely) and hybrid working (splitting time between an office and remote location) is a popular choice for many employees and employers alike, and it looks like it’s here to stay. But there are largely unaddressed consequences involved in hybrid working, particularly when it comes to cybersecurity.
While the idea of working away from the traditional office has been around for years and the technology has been there to support a more flexible working existence it would be fair to say that the Covid-19 pandemic was the catalyst for a seismic shift in the way that the UK population works.
Of course, it is not possible to perform all roles from the comfort of your own home but, for those people who can work from home, employers are now looking to accommodate a more permanent shift to remote work – at least for some of the working week. In fact, the Office for National Statistics states that 44% of UK workers reported home or hybrid working in the last seven days, while 56% travelled to the workplace. A significantly higher rate reported hybrid working when compared with remote working only – with 28% and 16% respectively.
Working from home has been subject to many scientific studies, highlighting both the advantages and potential disadvantages of the movement. Among the many challenges facing organisations trying to facilitate greater working flexibility today is information security.
When all paperwork, digital devices and internet connections are housed under one roof and under the close scrutiny of in-house infosec and IT teams it is much easier to manage cybersecurity across your workforce. But when devices are spread across networks and locations, it becomes harder to manage security effectively – particularly because hybrid workers often use their own devices rather than ones provided by the business.
Steps must be taken to bolster cybersecurity for the hybrid working model. Simple measures such as password training, providing information on spotting phishing techniques and offering tools to improve home wi-fi connections can all make a difference. According to a 2022 cybersecurity report from Forbes, the rise in two-factor authentication is finally reducing the prevalence of password-related scams in businesses, showcasing the importance of password measures and strength.
Investing in cloud connectivity models can help protect your business communications and documents, while ensuring that everyone who needs them has access to them in real time. Cloud models from the likes of Microsoft can grow, shift and adjust to suit your business, offering a secure platform with built-in defences that protect documentation and data across numerous networks and devices.
Despite being separated geographically, it’s vital that hybrid businesses maintain good communication across the entire organisation, so staff know where to turn should an incident occur. Making sure IT teams and infosec teams are available and visible – whether internal or outsourced – can provide staff with a clear plan of action in the event of a cyber breach.
VPNs are playing an important role in the evolution of hybrid and remote working, elevating an organisation’s cybersecurity through encrypted connections to company network infrastructure. By keeping the data transmitted between remote locations and company network encrypted, hackers have a much harder time breaching defences.
A cybersecurity audit can help you understand how your business fares in terms of data protection, and where your potential weak spots may lie. Investing in effective cybersecurity support can help you ensure that your entire organisation is protected against potential hackers, breaches, viruses and more, regardless of how far and wide your business workforce is spread.
