Are you among those employees who feel having a heavier workload in the work-from-home setup? Do you find it difficult to strike a balance between your personal and professional life? You are not alone.
According to a new report commissioned and released by Kaspersky, 46% of professionals in Southeast Asia feel that it is more difficult to switch off after work in the new normal than when they had to travel to and from their physical offices prior to the pandemic. In comparison, 42% of professionals from the globe feel so.
The research is based on a global poll entitled ‘More Connected than Ever Before: How We Build Our Digital Comfort Zones.” The survey was conducted in May, with 760 respondents from the region joining others from other regions across the world. The study was aimed at identifying the worries of remote employees as most offices remain closed and shift to work-from-home setup in adherence with pandemic protocols.
The study also found two common concerns posed by such remote-working professionals in the new normal. First, 62% of respondents in Southeast Asia (compared to 49% globally) are worried about the nature of the confidential work they are performing. Second, 57% of respondents from the region (compared to 48% globally) think their home technology is not as safe and secured as the technology they use in their physical offices.
“Majority of our survey respondents from the region are working from home during this period where lockdown measures are still in place because of the pandemic,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky. “It is understandable and welcome progress that a lot of them are more concerned about their online security given that our previous research showed 52% of businesses agreed that employees are security’s weakest link.”
Positive findings
On the other hand, the work-from-home setup is also bringing bright spots. For one, 62% of the respondents from Southeast Asia feel that the current working setup has increased their awareness of digital security. About 56% said their employers have provided them with stringent instructions about protecting confidential work information online.
But there are still more than 40% of the respondents in the region who shrug off security concerns and assume that their work setup is protected and safe. About 42% also confessed to sharing internet connection with other people in their households and are not sure about the security of their devices because they are not fully aware of how to securely use the internet.
“The current remote work set-up is here to stay. For employees’ mental wellness, it is important to create a conducive environment and work only during office hours,” said Yeo. “Businesses should now look into training technology that applies AI to the responses from the trainees and adapt by challenging them with the appropriate level of training and reinforcement, rather than using the same course material across everyone in a dull way.”
Recommended measures
Kaspersky is offering a unique security awareness training course that combines content based on the global online security vendor’s more than two decades of experience in cybersecurity. Kaspersky Adaptive Online Training (KAOT) also utilizes a development methodology by Area9 Lyceum on Rhapsode, the first four-dimensional adaptive learning platform in the world.
Employees using Kaspersky’s solutions can also use the company’s Employee Purchase Program to safeguard their devices while in the work-from-home setup. Avail its Enterprise Employee Discount Program through distributor iSecure Networks.
Moreover, remotely working professionals can also boost their online security at home by observing these practical tips:
• Install Kaspersky Security Cloud or similar security solutions on all devices you use in handling corporate data.
• Update all work-related apps you installed on a regular basis.
• Correctly configure your network connection. Make sure your home network is encrypted to shun away spies.
• Use router settings to select or change the type of encryption—and remember that your WiFi password should always be strong.
• Change router login and password regularly. Default passwords are weak and are exposed to other online users.
• Use a virtual private network (VPN) to absolutely encrypt your data.
• Always be suspicious of emails with links.