Posted on September 29, 2020.

WFH (Work from Home) may be old hat for some and still disruptive for others. It may be how your organization proceeds indefinitely or you may be ebbing and flowing as statutes and policies develop. Either way, it’s probably safe to say that WFH has gained a new foothold as an option when needed at the very least.

Work from Home Considerations

If it has become more than a temporary arrangement for your organization or you want to be better prepared to move to and from WFH, companies dealing with sensitive data will want to start by conducting a security assessment. Identifying and addressing your company’s security risks will make the transition to a WFH model smoother and more secure.

Keep the following in mind when assessing your company’s WFH transition plan.

  • Networking Capabilities:
    Make sure your network has accounted for throughput, redundancy and connectivity. How are you going to balance capacity and cost for a remote workforce?

  • VPNs and Endpoint Security:
    VPNs and endpoint security may be new element to your IT strategy but can make or break your continuity when your team leaves the office. This is also an ever-changing threat landscape that requires consistent management and best practices.

  • Personal Device Security:
    Integrating personal devices with corporate infrastructure may be easier said than done. Additionally, how can you account for long lead times during massive workforce shifts?

  • Collaboration Tools:
    These tools may be the next best thing to in-person conversation and the lifeblood of a virtual office. Was your team forced to adopt out of necessity or were they trained and familiar ahead of time? Was your infrastructure prepared to pivot to immediate use these tools?

  • Ergonomics:
    Having an ergo-friendly setup in the office is nothing new but what about for WFH? Planning for proper screens, keyboards, docking stations, etc. versus long term laptop use can keep productivity and comfort seamless in a WFH transition.

Biggest WFH Challenges

In our experience since the onset of COVID-19 related restrictions, we’ve seen some common themes affecting several clients.

  • Security and the overall decentralization of a workforce has been a primary concern for many organizations. Shifting assets, connectivity, and employees outside of a security posture that doesn’t normally operate in that way can be problematic at the least. Making sure your security strategy accounts for workforce fluidity is key under this new precedent.

  • Performance is the other main challenge we have seen. Unmet expectations and insufficient estimates can create systems lacking in delivery and performance and stifle efficiency and overall production. Depending on the solution, considering flexible consumption models to allow for more scalability may be the key to managing fluctuating needs and costs.

Transition to WFH with Sanity Solutions
Our standard approach to all solutions is tailored and holistic. We don’t believe in “one size fits all” which means we take a deep dive into your organization’s unique challenges, objectives and environments. With a team of certified data and security experts, we have the training and knowledge to architect with the flexibility and agility organizations need today. To revamp or start your WFH strategy, contact Sanity Solutions today.