Get a VPN Remote Working Plan for Your Business

If you’re working at home for the first time, you’ll have lots of things to consider. Will you wake up on time? Spend half your day on WhatsApp and watch Netflix instead of working? 

If you don’t set your hours correctly, you’ll end procrastinating in a matter of days. It’s easily done with no boss or peers checking your screen. Homeworkers need to find an internal discipline that may not come naturally outside of the office. If you lose your bearings, you’ll end up staring at the clock at 3 pm with an irate boss wondering why you’ve got nothing done.

While remote working is actively encouraged by many companies, it’s not as straightforward as kicking back with your laptop. For starters, many remote workers require confidential access to their company’s servers, but that’s just one reason why you need a VPN remote working plan. 

Keep Calm and Use a VPN

With the widespread adoption of remote working, new issues are emerging, including Internet connectivity problems through excess bandwidth demands and hackers stealing private information via weak Wi-Fi hotspots in public places. While all devices are vulnerable, we are often lax when we use our phones in coffee shops and bars, where we let our guard down more quickly.  

So having a VPN for all your devices will not only protect your data on public Wi-Fi but ensure your company’s files are not accessible to cybercriminals. It’s for these reasons that make a VPN an essential tool for homeworkers.  

What is a VPN, and How Does it Work?

In simple terms, a virtual private network (VPN) creates a secure connection for your device. It encrypts your data by forwarding your traffic to a hidden location, so you’ll have a virtual IP address instead of your allocated one. 

All your Internet traffic will go through this VPN tunnel, so your data will remain secure from hackers and trackers.

Remote Working with a VPN

Dr. Asma Adnane, a computer science lecturer at Loughborough University, encourages anyone working from home to use a VPN, which encrypts the data traveling between your device and company network. 

“(There are) cybersecurity implications working from home as you’re connecting to the Internet via an open and potentially unsecured network – home Wi-Fi or any public Wi-Fi – so all services and files you’re accessing are at a high risk of attack,” she said. 

Cybercriminals prey on people using unsecured Wi-Fi networks, and remote workers, in particular, risk having their company’s data intercepted and compromised. 

Know Your Firewall

If you’re remote working for the first time, speak to your IT department, and get advice on firewall and encryption policies. It also helps to check for software and security updates on all your devices, so they’re up-to-date and fully protected. 

Your company is more likely to trust you if you have a VPN, and by showing your security-conscious, you will increase your chances of working from home in the future.

Trust is one of the most important parts of being a remote worker, and this means having a speedy VPN connection. 

Why Speed Matters on Home Wi-Fi

When choosing a VPN, make sure you pick one with unlimited bandwidth so you can stream videos and high volumes of content. Imagine having a 1990s-style Internet connection and being unable to do your job because the Internet is slow? 

If you have the freedom to work from home, then it’s a privilege that comes with responsibilities. Having a reliable Internet connection is essential for any remote worker as you risk upsetting your team or clients if you’re disconnected and unable to reply to messages.

Stay Connected

Having a secure VPN connection will ensure you don’t fall off the grid when your boss wants to chat. Being visible on work messenger apps such as Skype, Trello or Slack puts them at ease and allows you to make real-time business decisions. 

While remote working it also helps if your colleagues know you’re online, even if you’re secretly cooking or watching YouTube videos. Being available on your designated messenger tool is crucial for homeworkers, making a strong VPN connection your new best friend.

Choosing a VPN for Remote Work

For a VPN remote working plan to be effective, you’ll need to make sure it passes security, speed, and reliability tests. 

Security

• Make sure your VPN has a “no logs” policy, so your work data is not sold to third-party advertisers.

• Get a VPN with a Kill-Switch so if your VPN connection drops, you won’t be exposed until it reconnects.

• Avoid free VPNs if you can, as you’ll otherwise be paying with your privacy and data instead.

• Pick a VPN that offers unlimited devices, and protect every device you use for work purposes. It doesn’t make sense to secure your laptop with a VPN if you also use an unprotected phone for work. Hackers don’t care what device you use. They only need to get lucky once – so protect them all.

Speed and Reliability

• Ensure your VPN offers unlimited bandwidth so you can hurtle through Skype meetings and bandwidth-hungry videos without any buffering. If you’re working from home, your Internet has to work seamlessly. No excuses, or you’ll be hauled back to your desk in no time.

• Make sure your VPN is compatible with all your devices, whether that’s a PC running Windows or a Mac, or an iPhone or Android device, depending on what you use for work and play.

Once you’ve found a VPN that provides security, reliability, and a speedy connection, you’ll be ready for whatever the day has in store for you.

Secure Your VPN Connection 

With millions of people homeworking for the first time, there’s a major cultural shift taking place with profound social and economic implications. Change is the only constant, and like any unprecedented trend, workers need time to adapt to remote working and respond to new security threats. 

By having a VPN remote working plan you can help protect your company’s data on all your devices. Just as important, having a business-friendly VPN will also give people confidence you can do your job from anywhere. 

If you want to work in your pajamas all day, then it pays to show you’re as reliable as you were sitting at your desk.