According to the study undertaken by IDC for LogMein, there’s room for improvement when it comes to cybersecurity and the effectiveness of remote work tools.

The study revealed that the surge in remote work exposed 66% of respondents to cyber risks, and IT help desks are struggling to securely support workers as:

• 31%globally are expected to use vulnerable devices when working remotely, with APAC being 14% higher than the global average (45%)
• 45 percent globally will be reliant on home Wi-Fi networks in 2021 compared to 54%in APAC

The study found these concerns are driving greater requirement among IT teams for effective integrated remote access and support solutions with:

• 60 percent of organisations globally (54 percent in APAC) considering increasing investment in remote work tools, with the average expenditure increasing by 21 percent this year
• 84 percent surveyed globally said that remote work tools enhance productivity
• Two-thirds of organisations surveyed are actively consolidating remote work tools with a trusted vendor in 2021

In the APAC region the study found that 58 percent of organisations said remote work has exposed cybersecurity gaps and will put a strong focus on improving their security and infrastructure in 2021.

Seventy-one (71) percent of organisations in APAC have identified the need to increase in-house security headcount and protection of confidential and sensitive data, 70 percent of organisations will increase security awareness programs and staff trainings, while 62 percent will increase threat intelligence capabilities.

LogMein says the statistics confirm that the pandemic has created a permanent shift toward remote work and with flexible work becoming the new business as usual, IT leaders will continue to be responsible for supporting technology ranging from video conferencing platforms and communications tools to remote access & support solutions and other cloud-based technology - and this means a well-thought-out plan for long-term, secure, and efficient flexible support is more important than ever. 

Dave Campbell, Head of Remote Solutions Group, LogMeIn, said, “This survey shows companies are clearly re-evaluating their remote work tools and will need to make changes this year.

“They are finding that it is vital to consider the ways the tools will impact their employees and help desk staff. This means IT leaders need to place greater emphasis on tools that will minimise disruptions in employees’ day-to-day work to maintain productivity and make sure that employees feel supported, while still ensuring they don’t fall short in terms of infrastructure, IT, and data security in 2021.”

“The research indicates that as companies transitioned to remote work, there is an increasing need for remote access and support solutions that offer more security while maintaining user productivity,” said Barbara Call, Senior Director of Content Strategy and Operations at IDG.

“The study shows that IT leaders should prioritise remote access and support tools that minimise disruptions for remote workers and make users feel supported wherever and however they work.

“Companies need to invest for the future, not just the pandemic. The respondents say they should consider consolidating their remote work portfolio in order to focus on solutions that reduce IT headaches and remove complexity from day-to-day role.”

To download the IDG white paper click here.