There are two sides to every story and every situation. Today, we are going to review the dangers of allowing employees to take their work laptops home. While this may be convenient for the employee, it can also open your business up to a wide range of security dangers. Let’s take a look at both sides of the argument.

The employee who needs to complete a project by bringing their laptop home a few nights a week might seem great for both sides. The employee gets to work from home, focus and get the work done they weren’t able to complete during working hours at the office. It is highly convenient for the employee and may even lessen stress levels knowing they don’t have to rush through all of their work in the eight hours spent at the office, or go in on weekends.

On the side of the business, it also seems great to allow employees to bring their laptops home. It’s productive and doesn’t cost the employer anything extra. Besides, you can trust your employee’s right?

Well, this is where things can get a little dangerous. Most businesses hire their employees after conducting interviews and thorough background checks. But, even these careful measures can’t protect you. What if one of your employees is looking for a job with your competitor? This question often scares the business owner.

There is a possibility that one of your employees can actually take their work laptop for your business directly to your competitor and give them access to records. The one way to prevent this is to have all employees sign a contract stating they will not share business details with competitors for at least 10 years after leaving your company. It’s best to have an attorney create the document and add as many security clauses as possible to protect your brand.

There is another concern that needs to be addressed. It is possible that the wifi connection at your employee’s home is not secure. This means anyone capable enough could tap into the system and retrieve confidential and important records related to your business. It is essential to discuss internet security with employees who take their laptops home.

Remember, it is a luxury for your employees to take their work home with them, make sure you protect your company and brand as much as possible. Creating guidelines to adhere to and a legal document for them to sign that places internet security responsibility on the employee is essential to protecting your company.