Work from Home advisory amid COVID-19

In the case of a sudden public health crisis, all debate on the pros and cons of a remote workforce takes a backseat to everyone’s top priority: the safety of those we care about. That means our employees, our customers, and the wider communities we serve.

As you address these uncertain times due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation and rise to the challenge of rapidly transitioning to a remote work environment, we’re here to help. Below, we have assembled some of our own best practices. The goal: to ensure your customers continue to get the best possible experiences while safeguarding the well-being of your workers.

Tools and security

You need to secure your remote work with the same caution you’d use at an office. Here are some tips:

Security best practices

As a remote employee, you may have access to service data. This is highly sensitive customer data, like contact information, end-user data, credit card numbers or service history. It’s the responsibility of each employee to handle service data with the best protection possible.

Situational Awareness. When you’re working outside your office, be aware of what’s going on around you. Don’t leave your laptop open on a table at the cafe and step away to grab a coffee. Anyone walking by could see what’s on your screen (and take a photo) or worse – take your laptop.

Confidentiality. Don’t make a video conference call at a restaurant and talk about things that aren’t public knowledge. Don’t use public wifi that’s not password protected – anyone could hack into your computer and steal data.

Common sense precautions. “Think about who can see your screen, who can hear your conversations, says Prem K, security training and awareness analyst at Saraf Furniture. “Be vigilant – especially if it’s employee data, customer data, or other proprietary information that should not be shared.”

Security is key
What’s the wifi password? It should be a secret. Make sure that your password is complex, mixes characters and cases, and not similar to your other passwords.

Learn more

As with any team dynamic, remote managers and employees must actively work on fostering open communication, including both praise and constructive feedback, and on building trust. If managers can place the emphasis on performance and delivery, and look for opportunities to coach and fill gaps in training, a virtual team has the potential to run like a well-oiled machine.