Setting Up Staff to Work From Home Securely
Remote and hybrid working are here to stay, but setting staff up to work from home well takes more than a laptop and a Wi-Fi password. Done properly, your team stays productive, your data stays safe, and IT problems don't grind people to a halt miles from the office.
The right kit
Comfortable, reliable hardware pays for itself in productivity. As a baseline we'd recommend:
- A capable, business-grade laptop with an SSD and enough memory — see our guide to choosing a business laptop.
- A second monitor, a proper keyboard and mouse, and a decent webcam and headset for calls — small upgrades that make a big difference to all-day comfort.
- A reliable home internet connection, with a plan (such as a mobile data backup) for staff who don't have one.
- The collaboration tools your team actually needs, set up the same way for everyone so support is straightforward.
Security comes first
A device outside the office is outside your office network's protection, so the basics matter even more:
- Multi-factor authentication on every account (see our MFA guide).
- Disk encryption so a lost or stolen laptop doesn't mean lost data.
- Secure remote access where staff need office systems — a properly configured VPN or equivalent.
- Endpoint protection and updates kept current on every device, ideally managed centrally rather than left to each person.
- Clear guidance on home Wi-Fi, avoiding public networks for sensitive work, and spotting phishing, which targets remote staff heavily.
Keeping people connected and productive
Technology is only half the job — people need to know how to use it. Standardise on one set of tools for chat, video calls and file sharing, store documents in the cloud rather than on individual laptops, and agree simple norms (cameras on for meetings, shared calendars, a status to show when someone's heads-down). Consistency makes remote teams feel close and makes support far simpler.
Onboarding and offboarding remotely
Have a repeatable process for getting a new starter set up — a pre-configured laptop, the right accounts and access, and a quick walkthrough. Just as importantly, when someone leaves, access should be revoked promptly and company kit returned and wiped. Doing this ad-hoc is where security gaps creep in.
Don't forget backups and support
Data created at home still needs backing up, and remote staff need a clear, fast way to get help when something goes wrong — ideally resolved over remote support without anyone travelling to an office. A little planning here prevents a lot of lost hours.
We'll set your team up to work anywhere
Our business IT support, remote support and cyber security services get remote and hybrid working running smoothly and securely — from kit and onboarding to day-to-day help.