3 Tools For Telecommuting IT Professionals

The pandemic turned the remote working experiment into a norm that numerous global organizations adopted as a business model. Telecommuting makes it easier for employees to carry out their daily routines without travelling to a physical office. With the right tools and security policies, businesses can build multiple remote workplaces that are secure and easy to use. 

The massive increase in the telecommuting economy comes with its challenges; employees need to connect with clients and collaborate with other remote team members throughout the day. Ensuring your organization's security is essential for success, so you must integrate telecommuting tools like remote access security solutions to encrypt your data and communications. 

The right tools for telecommuting 

Building a remote workplace and workforce is half the struggle; you must also protect them through various security techniques. Here are three tools that can improve the ability and security of your team that telecommutes to work: 

Zero Trust Network Access 

A ZTNA system operates on the principle: never trust, always verify. It continuously authenticates and authorizes users before granting access to cloud resources to verify if there are no cloud security issues. The system assigns users with the least privilege to carry out their daily tasks. ZTNA allows businesses to implement security policies according to the location or the device type to limit access to unfamiliar devices and networks. A ZTNA solution shortens the access radius even if an unauthorized person uses a compromised set of credentials to log in to the network. 

Virtual Private Network 

Organizations can use a VPN service as an additional layer of security for devices using the home network to connect to the organization’s resources. VPNs ensure secure internet access by rerouting their traffic through a secure server that encrypts the traffic to protect it from cybercriminals who typically scan unsecured networks. Remote employees can use their home network or public internet to access sensitive business data without worrying about data breaches. 

Network Access Control 

Organizational managers typically determine access privileges according to the job description of their employees. They can define which devices gain access to the network and which users, inside or outside the organizations, require access to specific business applications. Therefore, the management can use network access control to restrict access for users who do not require it. 

How can these telecommuting tools improve my remote workplaces? 

Securing how your remote employees access your cloud resources is essential for ensuring the safety and integrity of your data. Employees who use unprotected devices or networks to access these resources can unknowingly put the organization at stake. Therefore, you must implement stringent security measures (e.g. wifi security) to prevent unauthorized access to your organization’s applications and data. 

These three tools contain the following security frameworks that ensure data availability and protect your organization from attackers:

1. Endpoint security
   With an endpoint security system, you can secure all devices that are a part of your organization’s ecosystem, which include mobiles, laptops, desktops, and servers, if any. Typically, the IT team installs antivirus and firewall software on each device to maintain data security. Endpoint devices are the most vulnerable, so you must focus your efforts on protecting them.
2. Single Sign-On
   SSO is a user authentication process that uses a single set of credentials to grant access to different cloud applications and services. For example, remote employees will only use their credentials once and can instantly log in to their email, cloud, and communication applications. Organizations can use SSO to manage users and their access to organizational resources. 
3. Privileged Access Management
   PAM is a set of tools that allow managers to secure and monitor access to the cloud from numerous user accounts. With PAM, administrators can easily see which user has accessed different daily application services. Therefore, it allows you to ensure your applications' safety and detect unusual behavior if someone else accesses the system. 

Why businesses need to build remote workplaces

According to Buffer, 97% of remote workers recommend others to work remotely. Therefore, businesses that have not transitioned to a remote workplace may fall behind because they fail to realize these three main reasons that make remote working essential.

Increment in employee productivity

Working from home can significantly improve productivity as managers and team leaders forget how much traditional office space can distract employees. Since it's difficult to focus with noisy coworkers, remote working allows employees to spend their office time in a controlled environment that promotes deep thinking. 

Remote workers can create a flexible schedule and start working in their most productive hours, which boosts productivity. They can complete their projects based on their preferences and increase the business’s total output and use apps to keep track of work hours to remain organized.

Decrement in operating cost decreases 

By supporting a remote workplace, businesses save money on their traditional office space for rent, electricity, equipment, furniture, and amenities. Since most remote workers use their own laptops at home, businesses no longer need to provide the hardware for work. Even if a business has a part-time remote team, it can save money in the long run. 

Improvement in work-life balance 

Remote work allows employees to improve their work-life balance significantly by managing their flexible working schedules and creating a balance in their personal and professional lives. A healthy work-life balance brings long-term benefits for employees and employers by producing high-quality output. 

Organizations that focus on full-time in-house workers have a limited pool of talent as they can only hire people who are within driving distance. Businesses that offer remote workplaces can recruit incredible people who might be living in a different country. Therefore, a remote workplace allows businesses to include diverse talent in their teams to increase their output. 

Conclusion

Remote workforces are becoming more popular as they don’t carry the costs of maintaining a traditional office space. However, data security is still a concern, and businesses should not take it lightly. Cybersecurity solutions like secure remote access make it easier to manage and track users that access their organization’s cloud resources. Stringent security policies remove any loopholes in the security perimeter and keep it secure from outside threats.