If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that disaster and business disruption can’t be predicted. Cyberattacks might be the most prevalent risk to your company’s operations, but disruption can come in many different forms—and businesses should be prepared for any situation.

You’ve probably seen thermal imaging technology in action—abstract photos of human silhouettes radiating green, yellow, orange, and red hues. While thermal imaging has become somewhat of a buzzword in recent months, the technology has existed for decades. Not to be confused with a night vision camera, thermal imaging systems were originally developed for military use during the 1950s. Since then, thermal imaging has evolved beyond military surveillance, with expanded usage in many industries. From firefighters and law enforcement to powerline supervision and perimeter surveillance, thermal imaging technology has come a long way in the past 70 years.  

The coronavirus pandemic forced many businesses around the world to adopt remote work security policies almost overnight. Now, even as some cities and states across the country start to loosen restrictions and allow business operations to return to normal, some companies are choosing to stick with remote work as a permanent option for their workers.

Adopters of this trend include Silicon Valley companies like Facebook and Twitter, but businesses of all shapes and sizes are realizing that business can proceed more or less as “normal” even when working from home. One of the biggest challenges of this transition is implementing security standards to govern a new remote workforce.

The discussion around remote work began when stay-at-home orders were enacted in March and has persisted long after those sanctions have been lifted. Employees have continued to work from home despite city and state reopening’s, suggesting that remote work is here to stay. To prepare for the future of remote work, it is important that businesses provide clear guidance for their remote workforce that is in line with their company values. Whether your company is expanding its investment in remote work, or embracing it for the first time, a comprehensive Remote Work Policy is essential to ensuring employees’ success, regardless of their location.

The transition to remote work can be burdensome for any organization—especially those engineering changes almost overnight.

As business owners, we recognize that our people are our greatest assets. For many of us, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to re-think our workplaces and workforces. We’ve experienced the office as a ghost town, with perhaps one or two of us haunting the hallways while others work remotely. We’ve experienced human resources as an Olympic event with changes in hours, sick leave and family leave, employee benefits, remote work policies, State and local regulations, the CARES Act, and perhaps reluctantly guiding our organizations through furloughs or layoffs. 

Remote work arrangements can offer a number of benefits to an organization, including higher job satisfaction among workers and the ability to reduce rent and other overhead. But effective remote work also requires new strategies and policies to manage workers and teams remotely.