---
title: Your Checklist for Success with a Remote Workforce
description: Use this list to start answering questions, and asking more!, about achieving success with strong remote workforce.
---

[adNET Academy Blog ](https://blog.adnet.us/blog)

# [Your Checklist for Success with a Remote Workforce](https://blog.adnet.us/blog/your-checklist-for-success-with-a-remote-workforce)

 Written by [Ryan Howarter](https://blog.adnet.us/blog/author/ryan-howarter) | Jul 13, 2022 6:00:00 PM

A remote workforce can bring amazing benefits to your company - increased productivity and engagement, decreased overhead, and improved work-life balance for your employees. But with these benefits comes the need for a different kind of planning when it comes to topics like security and business continuity.

Here's a checklist to help you plan for and manage a remote workforce. All of the listed items are suggestions that you can keep in mind as you implement a remote workforce or create a work-from-home policy within your company. Keep in mind this isn't an exhaustive list, but it should definitely help get you started with the right frame of mind to achieve a desirable outcome.

## Working from Home

Your first priority should be ensuring that your employees have the ability to access company resources securely from home - since it's probably the space outside the office they will be mostly likely to use.

- Do your employees connect to company resources through a VPN (virtual private network)?
- Do your employees have access to a secure gateway (such as a Citrix portal)?
- When your employees log directly into cloud applications, like Office 365, is MFA enabled?

## Network Security

Because human error causes about[ 88% of data breaches](https://blog.knowbe4.com/alert-new-stanford-research-88-of-data-breaches-are-caused-by-human-error#:~:text=Researchers%20from%20Stanford%20University%20and,overwhelming%20majority%20of%20cybersecurity%20problems.), you have to make sure your security is always at the forefront of your employees' minds.

- Have you defined a remote access policy - that is, can employees work from anywhere or only from their private wifi at home? Do you control and review those methods?
- Do you govern remote access to systems and data for contract or temp workers?
- Do you control and monitor third-party accounts, such as those for vendors, that have remote access capability?

## Cloud Security

If you aren't using any cloud services yet, now might be the time to get started.[ 94% of businesses](https://webtribunal.net/blog/cloud-adoption-statistics/#gref) use some form of a cloud solution, and it's important to put some thought into which ones you use and how you'll manage them.

- Do you use cloud management controls to make sure your data is secure and compliant with industry standards?
- Does your cloud security architecture support your technology strategy - i.e.,  is it scalable and flexible?

Migrating and implementing cloud solutions can be a very complicated job. If you're not sure where to start when it comes to cloud solutions, checking out the [Pros and Cons](https://blog.adnet.us/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-cloud-computing) is a great place to start.

## Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

With everyone away from the office, maybe even in different time zones, a disaster takes on a whole new set of challenges. By making sure you have a clear plan,  you can be ready for anything.

- Do your business continuity and disaster recovery plans include internal and external factors - power outages, internet service disruptions, and employee absences?
- Have you identified all of your orgs critical systems?
- In case of a emergency, do you have temporary roles for employees who may not be able to accomplish their everyday tasks? And are all employees aware of their responsibilities in case of an emergency?
- Have you made specific goals on how long it will take you to recover (Recovery Time Objectives) and what that recovery looks like (Recovery Point Objectives)?
- Do you debrief each time you use your DR plan, and keep it updated as business needs and technologies change?

## Physical and Environmental Safety

While physical and environmental threats are location-specific, it’s crucial to make sure both office staff and remote workers are aware of the dangers in their particular area. 

- Does your company facilitate physical and environmental safety controls such as first-aid and fire suppression?
- Are your remote workers located in areas with environmental dangers? For example, do you have employees located in hurricane-prone areas or areas vulnerable to fires? What measures are in place to ensure their safety and secure their work devices?
- Do you have a protocol in place for managing the work of employees experiencing an environmental disaster? 
- Are company devices with private data in a safe physical environment, safeguarded from theft or destruction?  

This list is a great place to start because not only do you need to answer some of these critical questions to achieve a good baseline, they should also generate more questions. Once you've tackled everything, you should feel confident that your business will weather any storm - literal or figurative!

[View full post](https://blog.adnet.us/blog/your-checklist-for-success-with-a-remote-workforce)

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