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Virtual Onboarding: The Device Onboarding Process & Access Management

Posted by TEAM ASCEND on June 20, 2023

Remote work is becoming a permanent function in the working world. It comes with a work-life balance for employees and a wider talent pool for employers that has attracted many businesses to adopt a full or hybrid work-from-home framework.

With all the benefits come challenges like the major impact it has on onboarding new employees as your organization grows and changes. The new employee experience creates that initial impression and is crucial to how the employee views their new org going forward. Additionally, there are a host of security and technology challenges that must be addressed to ensure the safety and productivity of employees.

The Challenges of Remote Work

One of the biggest challenges of remote work is security and the lack of control over the employee's environment. Remote workers are often accessing sensitive data and systems from outside the traditional security perimeter of the office.

This means that employers have to ensure their remote workers have the tools and resources needed to keep their data and systems secure. This includes providing secure access to networks, as well as secure applications and file-sharing tools. Additionally, employers must ensure that remote workers have the necessary technology and other security measures in place to protect their systems from cyberattacks.

Another challenge of remote work is ensuring employee productivity. It's important that all employees have the proper technology and software to stay productive and connected with the rest of the team. Employers must create systems and processes to ensure that employees are properly onboarded and continually getting the support they need. This can include setting up regular check-ins, providing support and resources, and implementing tracking tools to monitor employee productivity.

Security measures and onboarding processes can be difficult to implement. This is especially true when there is no standardization across the organization. Creating and maintaining those standards can be a time-consuming and costly endeavor.

The goal is to enable the lines of communication and collaboration across employees who are working remotely or in the office. It can be more difficult to maintain open lines of communication and ensure that everyone is on the same page. This can lead to miscommunications, missed deadlines, and a general lack of cohesion among team members.

So what should your organization have in place to set your remote workers up for success?

 


The Device Onboarding Process

Getting devices set up for a new user has been a piece of the onboarding process since computers have been around. Setting up a device for a remote worker is a whole other concept that many businesses were forced to figure out in 2020. Remote work has become standard. With the rise of remote work, the process of setting up devices for new remote workers has become a critical aspect of the onboarding process. In 2020, businesses around the world were faced with the sudden need to adapt and establish effective procedures for remote device provisioning. The challenges included ensuring a secure and efficient setup, configuring access to company networks, and providing the necessary software and security features to enable remote work. In this blog, we will explore the importance of proper device onboarding for remote workers and outline best practices to ensure a seamless and secure setup process.
  • Proper Configuration: Setting up the device to work within the organization's network and systems, which can help to prevent technical issues and compatibility problems.
  • Secured for Remote Work: Ensuring the device is compliant with the organization's security policies, which is essential for protecting sensitive data and preventing cyber attacks.
  • Equipped with the Right Tools: Getting the necessary tools and applications to allow the employee to work effectively and efficiently, like Microsoft 356 and Teams.

Getting the device onboarding process right is essential for ensuring that employees are able to work effectively and securely within the organization's network and systems. A poorly configured or insecure device can lead to a host of problems, including compatibility issues, technical difficulties, data breaches, and other security risks.

 

Device Configuration

Provisioning a work device involves several steps to ensure that the device is properly set up and secured for use within the organization. Here are the key aspects of device provisioning:

  • Installing Necessary Software: The first step in provisioning a work device is to install any necessary software that the employee will need to do their job. This may include productivity tools, communication software, and specialized applications.
  • Ensuring Security Software is Installed and Up to Date: One of the most important aspects of device provisioning is ensuring that the device has proper security software installed and that it is up-to-date. This includes antivirus software, encryption software, and firewall protection. All of these security features help to protect the device from cyberattacks and other security risks.
  • Configuring Network Access: The device needs to be properly configured to access the organization's network and systems. This involves setting up secure authentication protocols and configuring network settings to ensure that the device can connect to the organization's network.
  • Installing Updates: It's important to ensure that the device is kept up-to-date with the latest software updates and security patches. This helps to address any vulnerabilities in the software and ensures that the device is secure and functional.
  • Enabling Remote Access and Management: Finally, it's important to ensure that the device is set up for remote access and management. This includes enabling remote access protocols and setting up remote monitoring and management tools to ensure that the device is functioning properly and securely.

This can be a very manual and time-consuming process involving both your HR and IT teams. We recommend utilizing Microsoft Intune & Autopilot to implement cloud-based device provisioning. By utilizing cloud-based device onboarding, you save your team's time and receive a more consistent result. Learn more about how our experts have helped organizations implement this method with our Digital Workspace Provisioning Solution.

 

Remote Access Management

Secure access management is a critical component of any remote work framework but is only included in 54% of an organization's security policies. Bad actors understand the possible vulnerabilities remote workers pose to an organization and are targeting your employees. The overall impact of poor security policies can be devastating if you have remote workers:

The Impact of Remote Work on Security & Compliance

The goal of access management policies is to only allow authorized personnel to have access to sensitive information, protecting it from external threats and maintaining compliance.

Key access management measures to have in place are:

  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Requires users to provide additional authentication factors beyond just a username and password to access the organization's network and systems. This may include a biometric scan, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition, or a security token, such as a USB key or mobile app. MFA helps to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information and reduces the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.
  • Role-Based Access Control: Ensuring that employees only have access to the information and systems that they need to do their job. This is typically achieved through role-based access control, where access to specific resources is granted based on an employee's job responsibilities and level of authority.
  • User Monitoring and Management: Monitor user activity and manage user accounts to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information. This involves regularly reviewing user access privileges and activity logs, and revoking access for any users who no longer need access to sensitive information or who have left the organization.

 

Ascend Can Help

Onboarding a remote employee requires careful planning and attention to detail. Setting up your workers for success requires secure access management and proper device provisioning.

Download our Virtual Onboarding Checklist: Technical To-Do's for Remote Users

Need help getting started? Our experts can help acquire and implement the technology your employees need, like MFA and Digital Workspace Provisioning. Reach out to speak to an expert!

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Cloud & Infrastructure, Digital Workspace Deployment

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