Regardless of the work you do, safety and security are among the most important aspects of business, allowing you to keep the most sensitive and important data secret, and your premises protected. But as an increasing number of individuals are now deciding to work remotely either full-time or part-time, security becomes a growing concern for many professionals. You likely want to ensure your files remain confidential and your devices safe, but that might be a significantly more challenging task to achieve when working from home. To help you make the best of your situation, here are some ways you could create a safer and more secure home office:

Lock your windows and doors

The first step to protecting your home office is keeping your doors locked, both those leading to the house and the office directly. Premises that are locked require more effort to break into, and will likely deter potential intruders from the get-go. Not to mention that a locked office is a great way to ensure your family members don’t use your work computer and other devices either. If you have any windows in your office, securing them with locks could be a great extra layer of protection as well, especially if your home office is located on the ground floor.

Don’t leave devices unattended

If you tend to bring your work laptop with you and carry it often from your home to the office, you should never leave it unattended in the car. Keep in mind that no part of the car is entirely safe, even the trunk. Vehicles are simple to break into, and a computer clearly visible in your car might attract unwanted attention. Instead, aim to keep your work laptop and any other devices with you at all times. Although this solution is less convenient than leaving your gadgets in the car, it will help to guarantee protection.

Adhere to better practices

If you work from home, on the other hand, simply changing your daily habits might also help with security concerns. For example, you should only take phone and video calls in private, use noise-cancelling headphones when necessary, and regulate the way you engage in any conference calls that might be overheard, to ensure no sensitive information gets leaked. Maintaining a ‘clear desk’ policy can be of great help in keeping your work devices and documents safe and organized in your home office as well.

Install locked storage solutions

If you need an additional layer of security, you could also put your computer, work devices, important documents, and other valuables in a locked cabinet in your office. Not only is this great at deterring potential intruders, but it might also be a simple yet efficient solution if you’d like to keep small children and pets away from crucial work-related items. If you have any physical documents, records, and other files that are particularly important to your work, placing them in a fireproof safe is a great option for keeping them protected against fire and other natural disasters.

Invest in a home security system

Of course, investing in high-quality home security systems is arguably the best way to keep your office physically safe. A set of HD cameras will be able to give you a view of the office and its surroundings, while a good burglar alarm will alert you whenever someone attempts to enter your office. If you choose a smart security system, you could also get notifications and monitor the system from your mobile phone as well, thus being a more convenient solution for any professionals who are often on the go.

Purchase antivirus software

Physical safety shouldn’t be your only concern when working from home. Your digital devices can be susceptible to viruses and cyberattacks as well, which is why it’s crucial to invest in good antivirus software. Your employer might already provide a certain level of protection for company-issued devices, but if you use personal computers for work, you’ll need to protect them yourself. There are plenty of free and paid-for antivirus software solutions you could choose from, all of which will keep your devices safer and more secure.

Try to use stronger passwords

Along with antivirus software, you should aim to use better, more secure passwords as well. If hackers attempt to gain access to any of your sensitive accounts, a good password will make it significantly more difficult for them to succeed. For that reason, you should make it a point to use stronger passwords, such as those containing lower and uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters, and never use the same password twice, for different accounts. Setting up two-factor authentication for your profiles and accounts is another great way to protect yourself and any sensitive data.

Secure your home network

If you’re working remotely, you might be using your private home network for conducting business. In case your network isn’t secured, this could potentially increase the risk of accidentally leaking important data. Third parties may be able to access and intercept any sensitive messages, emails, and passwords. Your family members, neighbours, and anyone else who has access to your home network could potentially also see valuable company data. That is why it’s absolutely crucial to secure your home router with a strong password, encryption, and a good firewall as well.

Attempt to encrypt messages

Data encryption is designed to protect any sensitive information by transcribing it into a unique code that only you and the people you work with can read using a secret password or key. This means that even if certain messages get intercepted by cybercriminals, chances are high that they won’t manage to properly interpret them. For that reason, you should consult your company and see whether they are happy to implement encryption solutions. They should be used both for incoming and outgoing messages and emails, as well as any data that’s stored on devices.

Ensuring your home office is as safe and secure as possible can often be a challenging task. But if you follow the advice above, protecting your work physically and digitally will be a much simpler process.