Flexibility in work arrangements has become the norm in 2024, with 82% of Fortune 500 companies offering a flexible work environment and only 18% requiring employees to be full-time at the office. Companies have adapted to the new hybrid reality by providing employees with corporate machines that they can use to work outside the office instead of the traditional desktop computer.
Giving employees the tools they need to perform their job tasks helps companies maintain control over their devices and makes it easier to deploy updates, secure access, software patches, and monitor device health. However, it can also come with additional expenses and risks for the business.
Providing and setting up the equipment that your employees need requires a little planning to get everything right. We've created this guide to walk you through everything you need to know when providing company property to employees, including the pros and cons, how to minimize risks, and the basics of an effective company laptop policy.
Let's start by outlining the most common ways to provide equipment to employees. In general, there are two main approaches to using equipment for flexible or remote work: employees either use company-owned devices (COD) or their personal laptops (BYOD). Each approach has its own benefits and considerations.
When providing an employee with a company-owned device (COD), you can choose between two major formats: COPE (Company-Owned, Personally Enabled) and COBO (Company-Owned, Business Only).
Another approach is BYOD, where employees use their personal computers, cell phones, and tablets for work purposes. The main advantage of BYOD is that the company does not have to purchase equipment. Employees also feel more at ease using their personal devices. However, this model has a higher risk of security breaches. Additionally, it places the burden of tech support, maintenance, and replacement on the employee.
Knowing that there are different methods of providing equipment for employees and that employees can use their personal devices for work, you might wonder if it's worth providing company-owned equipment for remote work. Although the answer depends on your specific needs, we highly recommend giving your remote employees a corporate device.
One of the main reasons for this approach is security. With remote work, there's less oversight of how employees use their devices. By giving employees company-owned laptops, your organization can maintain access to the machines, allowing your IT team to remotely manage and troubleshoot any issues that arise. This level of control is necessary for maintaining the integrity and security of your company's network and data.
When employees use their personal laptops, IT support becomes significantly more complicated. For example, if an employee has trouble connecting to the company's wireless network, IT staff might struggle to resolve the issue without knowing the specifics of the hardware, software, and security settings on the employee's personal device. Standardizing the equipment ensures that all devices are uniformly configured and secure, simplifying IT support and reducing potential downtime.
Additionally, when employees leave your organization, you can retrieve the device and redeploy it for a new user. This can help your company make the most of the equipment throughout its useful life and even save costs in procurement. You can also make sure that your data stays safe by remotely wiping the device when the employee leaves or in case there are issues with the retrieval.
Here's a short list of the benefits of providing equipment for remote workers:
Improved productivity: Employees can work more efficiently, reducing the time spent dealing with technical issues and ensuring they have the right tools for their tasks.
Security: Company laptops can be pre-configured with robust security measures, including firewalls, antivirus software, and encryption.
Simplified IT management: The IT department can more easily manage software updates, troubleshoot problems, enforce security policies, and keep track of equipment inventory.
Control over computers: Having control over the devices allows the company to install the necessary software, monitor usage, and ensure that all laptops comply with company policies and industry regulations.
Job satisfaction for employees: Providing a company laptop can be seen as a valuable perk, enhancing job satisfaction and potentially attracting top talent.
Providing company laptops to distributed workers is a wise investment. It ensures better control, security, and productivity while enhancing job satisfaction and simplifying IT management.
Providing company laptops to employees comes with both cost implications and potential security risks that your organizations must carefully consider. The initial investment in purchasing high-quality laptops can be substantial, especially for large teams. This expense includes the hardware and the necessary software licenses, maintenance, and eventual replacements. Additionally, deploying company-owned laptops introduces security concerns, such as the risk of data breaches or loss of devices.
Security concerns not only put your devices at risk, it can also leave you with significant financial losses. According to IBM, the average cost of a data breach in 2023 was USD 4.45 million, and that figure will only keep increasing as it has over the years. With this scenario in mind, here are a few things to consider when providing equipment for employees.
One of the biggest challenges for companies and their IT teams is keeping the equipment secure once it goes out to the employee. However, remote work has taught us many ways to safeguard company equipment and maintain their operational integrity.
Implementing a laptop policy, constantly training employees, and implementing tools and processes to ensure security are three surefire ways to keep devices safe.
Implement a laptop policy: Your policy should outline best practices for maintaining security, such as mandatory software updates, password protocols, and guidelines for safe internet usage. Establish clear rules on the use of company devices for personal activities and the steps to take if a laptop is lost or stolen.
Cybersecurity training: Regularly conduct cybersecurity training for all employees. This training should cover recognizing phishing attempts, avoiding suspicious downloads, and understanding the importance of secure passwords and multi-factor authentication.
Implement tools and processes: Use all available tools to protect your assets. Limit admin access to essential personnel only, ensuring that regular users cannot install unauthorized software. Employ multi-factor authentication, disk encryption, and VPNs to secure remote connections.
To ensure all your company property remains secure, you need a clear laptop policy that outlines responsibilities and obligations and sets clear rules and expectations for employees.
An effective laptop computer policy ensures productivity, security, and employee health in a remote or hybrid work environment. Here are key elements to include:
Setting up laptops for employees, whether for onsite or remote work, requires careful planning and execution to guarantee productivity, security, and seamless operation. When setting up equipment for your employees, keep in mind the following best practices:
1. Select the right operating system
Begin by choosing the operating system (OS) that best suits your business needs. Windows 10 and macOS are the most common choices, each offering stability, support, and compatibility with essential business applications. Consider factors such as software requirements, user familiarity, and IT support capabilities when making this decision.
2. Create employee profiles
Once the OS is selected, create individual user profiles for each employee. Each profile should include a unique username, secure password, and company email address. Implement encryption protocols to secure passwords and ensure confidentiality of sensitive data.
3. Install updates
Regularly update laptops with the latest OS patches, software updates, and security fixes. This practice is critical to maintaining system stability, resolving vulnerabilities, and protecting against cyber threats like malware and data breaches.
4. Install necessary software
Install business-critical software tailored to your industry and specific job roles. This includes productivity suites like Microsoft Office 365 or Google Workspace, creative tools like Adobe Creative Cloud, and industry-specific applications. Ensure easy access to these programs with clear desktop shortcuts or organized menus.
5. Configure network devices
Enable connectivity to essential network devices such as printers and shared drives. Ensure laptops are pre-configured to access these resources seamlessly, especially for hybrid workers who occasionally pop into the office.
6. Enable security features and encryption
Implement robust security measures to safeguard company data. Enable features like two-factor authentication (2FA), fingerprint login, and full-disk encryption to protect sensitive information.
7. Utilize additional security tools
Enhance laptop security with tools like antivirus software, firewalls, and VPNs. These tools bolster defense against cyber threats and ensure compliance with security protocols.
8. Ensure proper hardware setup
Consider additional hardware needs such as external displays for enhanced productivity or privacy screens to prevent visual hacking. Equip laptops with necessary accessories like chargers, cables, and adapters.
9. Establish maintenance routines
Establish regular maintenance routines for software updates, system checks, and data backups. This will ensure that your devices always have the latest updates and prevent security breaches.
Partnering with a company like GroWrk can streamline the process of providing and managing laptops for remote employees. GroWrk's team understands the needs of remote workers and the challenges of the new workplace reality.
GroWrk offers a global network of vendors and warehouses, allowing the delivery of laptops and other devices to over 150 countries without customs taxes or shipping fees. Our streamlined global logistics will enable you to purchase from our catalog or store your inventory without worrying about additional costs.
Our intuitive dashboard simplifies onboarding and offboarding, while real-time notifications help track hardware maintenance and delivery. With GroWrk, companies can save time and money while ensuring their distributed teams have the right equipment to work efficiently and get their equipment back when an employee leaves.
Get a customized quote for your company and keep growing your distributed team, regardless of whether you want to procure equipment for new hires in Latin America, Europe, Africa, or Asia.
For effective remote work, you need a laptop or desktop computer, a reliable internet connection, role-specific software, a comfortable desk and chair, and peripherals like a mouse, keyboard, and monitor.
Many companies provide laptops for remote workers to ensure security and standardization. They may also offer stipends or reimbursement for other necessary equipment.
Some companies provide stipends, reimbursements, or a full office setup, including desks, chairs, monitors, peripherals, and office supplies, to support remote employees.
If you're self-employed or have a home office for business purposes, you may be able to write off office equipment on your taxes. Consult with a tax professional for specific guidelines.
Tech companies provide laptops to ensure employees have the necessary tools, maintain security standards, and enable efficient remote management of devices and software.
Before distributing laptops, ensure they are configured with the right operating system, security features, and necessary software. Set up user profiles, label the devices, and establish maintenance routines.