Every organization is different. In-person, remote, or hybrid—the right approach is the one that best suits your people. While in-person work isn’t a new concept, remote work is, gaining popularity during the pandemic. Following the vast uptick of remote work in 2020, the pendulum is now swinging back, landing on a hybrid work style for many organizations.
According to Gallup, 52% of remote-capable employees utilize a hybrid work style in 2025. This percentage makes up the largest group of people, with remote work at 27% and on-site at 21%. The modern worker doesn’t want to be in the office 24/7, but they also don’t want to be working from home five days a week either. Hybrid work looks like it’s here to stay, so what does this mean for IT management?
As IT managers serving your organization’s internal IT needs, hybrid work presents more variables than a single physical location. Whether you have a few years of hybrid work experience under your belt or you’re getting ready to welcome staff back into the office, it’s essential to have a comprehensive understanding of how to secure your IT in a hybrid work model. To ensure that everything operates smoothly and efficiently, we’ve put together an IT management checklist that will guide your transition to a hybrid working environment.
Staff Hybrid Work Checklist
As IT managers, you’re likely comfortable with the technology and policies for a hybrid work setup, but this might be a foreign concept for some of your employees. You need to provide staff with hybrid work policies, best practices, and access to remote tools. Here are some IT items that you’ll need to ensure are in place to maximize company staff time and make the most of hybrid work.
- A hybrid work policy has been created and implemented.
- Firm communication protocols have been established.
- The staff has the hardware needed to work remotely.
- The office is equipped with strong WiFi and cabling to support daily operations.
- The staff can access every critical application needed to complete their daily work.
- Secure remote meeting software is set up.
- The staff and the internal IT team have access to collaboration tools.
- There is remote access to the business phone system.
- The team has access to a help desk for 24/7 support for quick IT resolutions.
IT Department Needs
You need to ensure that you and your IT team are ready to manage any IT needs remotely to account for employees who may not be in the office. With the flexibility that hybrid work provides, your IT team should be prepared to troubleshoot and resolve tech issues at the drop of a hat. Are you confident in your current processes?
Every item on this IT asset management checklist is essential to the success of your business operations and cybersecurity, so check it twice!
- You have remote access to the staff’s off-network devices.
- All operating systems, browsers, and applications are patched and up-to-date.
- You have cloud storage set up for employee use.
- You’re using multi-factor authentication (MFA) to improve login security.
- You’ve installed a secure VPN on servers.
- The network access policy is clear and enforceable.
- User access is being monitored to ensure authentication.
- System access protocols are being followed.
- Your IT team can quickly and easily jump from service tickets to remote endpoint management to troubleshoot issues.
- The staff has received security awareness training.
Set Up Your Company For Return to the Office
Integrating your team back into the office is a process, and it won’t happen overnight. As IT management, it’s your responsibility to ensure every member of your team understands any new protocols and applications being introduced to them. Since your staff will be traveling back and forth from the office, it’s important that they understand hybrid security risks. Emphasizing network safety and data privacy is key here. Hybrid work comes with plenty of benefits that will keep your employees and clients happy—as long as everyone is aligned on security measures, hybrid work policies, and best practices.
Secure Your IT With Exact IT
In order for your hybrid work environment to thrive, you must set up your staff for success in every capacity. From cybersecurity practices to reliable IT support, they are counting on functional IT infrastructure to accomplish their daily operations. At Exact IT Consulting, our experts will help you create a productive hybrid work environment that benefits not only your team but your clients, too. Contact us today to learn more about our services!
