[B994]Bureau Of Better Business

Imagine lounging in your most comfortable outfit, sipping on home-made chicken soup and enjoying the sounds of your favorite CD... all while managing national accounts, answering inquiries from curious clients and preparing to send out a detailed report for your upcoming company meeting. When email in your employees? home offices is secured, telecommuting can be a valuable resource for your business without the risk of compromising crucial information.

Millions of Americans are already taking advantage of the benefits that come with telecommuting and the trend is only expected to grow in the coming years. High-speed internet connections, laptop computers and email make working outside of the conventional office setting convenient; productivity can be improved while reducing travel time and the ever-increasing cost of transportation. The telecommuting population is predicted to reach 9.9 million by 2009! (1)

Many benefits can come from allowing your employees to telecommute, but let's not forget about making it safe for all parties involved. You can take every precaution to make certain that sensitive data regarding your company and clients is secured when it's kept at company headquarters, but these defenses become much harder to implement at a worker's home office. Loss of intellectual property can do much to damage the potential for revenue, as well as brand reputation, for any size company.

Employees who work from home may use their company machines to do non-work tasks like:

download and store non job-related files on their work machines

allow their children to use their workstation to do homework or web research

let their significant other check personal email

Company email and work assets are susceptible to being accessed and inadvertently misused or misdirected by others in the household. Every time a telecommuter's workstation is used for non-work tasks it creates a risky environment for your company's files, such as client account sheets, prospect lists or an important business partner's marketing plan.

What can your business do to offset the risk of unintended email redistribution, while allowing employees to telecommute? Solutions must be easy to install, intuitive and effective in protecting sensitive data from being copied, edited or forwarded. For those employees working in a non-technical field, it is likely that they lack adequate knowledge on how data theft is possible or legitimate ways to prevent redistribution, so user-friendly software is best.

Since you can't invade your employee's home and rummage through his/her PC, your best bet is to research software that will secure their incoming and outgoing email. A solution that is user-friendly will be utilized to its full extent by the employee and in turn will provide the highest level of protection for sensitive communication.

Email anti-theft software that integrates with Microsoft Outlook or another existing application that your employee is already familiar with is a simple and cost effective option. A security solution that works with a program your staff is comfortable with eliminates anxiety that comes with using unfamiliar high-tech programs. When email anti-theft controls are available at the click of a button, workers are more likely to take the time to protect their messages.

Today, telecommuters include employees of such organizations as The Defense Information Systems Agency, Kettering Medical Center Network as well as many small businesses in your region. (1) Email anti-theft software allows telecommuting to be a safe and effective alternative to working in a conventional office setting. The option to work from home makes for content employees, satisfied customers and a more profitable business. So secure your data and take advantage of all that telecommuting can do for your company!

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End Notes:

1.) 1.Ellen Messmer, "Telecommuting Concerns Grow," 24 April 2006 Network World, - http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/042406-telecommuter-security.html

2.) Related article by Mila Levkovsky, "3 Ways To Protect Your Laptop" http://www.essentialsecurity.com/Documents/article18.htm

Article Source : Small Business Business Opportunity