Published: 28th November 2024
Area: Employment
Over the holiday season, many businesses see an increase in remote working, with employees logging in from various locations and devices. While remote work offers flexibility, it also presents security challenges that businesses must address to safeguard sensitive information and avoid potential cyber threats. Here are key steps to protect your business’s security during this season:
Employment Law Christmas Round Up
During the festive season at work spirits are heightened, Christmas jumpers are out in full force and tubs of celebrations and quality street litter the counterspace. While it is a joyous and fun occasion for those who celebrate, there are still a number of things employers should be wary of to ensure a smooth sailing festive season.
1. Enforce strong password policies
Ensure employees use unique, complex passwords for accessing business systems. Encourage the use of a password manager and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security. Remind staff to avoid using the same password across multiple accounts, reducing the risk if a single password is compromised.
2. Secure Wi-Fi connections
Encourage employees to work only on secure, private networks. Public Wi-Fi can expose data to cybercriminals, so employers should recommend setting up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) for employees who may be working outside of secure networks, such as when travelling or working from public spaces.
3. Keep software and devices updated
Cybercriminals often exploit outdated software, so it’s crucial that all devices and applications have the latest security updates. Remind employees to check for updates regularly and ensure that antivirus software is installed and active on all devices used for work.
4. Implement data encryption
Encrypting sensitive data adds a layer of protection, even if data is intercepted or devices are lost. Ensure data encryption is activated on all business devices, especially if employees are using personal laptops or mobile devices to access work files.
5. Educate employees on phishing scams
During the holidays, phishing scams often increase, with cybercriminals sending fake emails that appear to be from legitimate companies or colleagues. Provide training to help employees recognise phishing attempts and encourage them to verify any unusual requests for information, especially around this time of year.
6. Back up data regularly
Encourage frequent backups of essential data to minimise the impact of a potential data loss or ransomware attack. Secure, encrypted cloud backups provide an effective way to protect your data if a breach does occur.
By implementing these security measures, businesses can reduce the risks associated with remote work and protect themselves against cyber threats over the holidays. Proactive security not only safeguards sensitive information but also ensures a smooth, secure remote working experience for employees, allowing them to work flexibly without compromising the business’s data.
While the holiday season brings festive cheer and a chance to celebrate, it also comes with a unique set of challenges for employers. By addressing key issues such as managing seasonal workers’ rights, holiday pay entitlements, flexible working arrangements, and employee wellbeing, employers can navigate the festive period with ease and compliance. Offering support through clear communication, fair policies, and inclusivity ensures a positive and productive holiday season for both employees and employers alike. By remaining proactive and understanding, businesses can create a workplace culture that is festive, fair, and respectful of the diverse needs of their workforce. For a large majority of businesses, particularly those in retail, the holiday season may mean acquiring additional support through seasonal workers. We explore the rights seasonal workers have and address other key questions on the topic. Flexible working, especially during Christmas, can help balance business demands with personal challenges. We explore strategies for managing flexible working requests and policies. Flexible working, especially during Christmas, can help balance business demands with personal challenges. We explore strategies for managing flexible working requests and policies. At this time of year, Christmas bonuses are a key topic of conversation within employment. We explore the types of bonuses and tax implications for your business to consider. Managing employee absences, particularly over the holidays, can make things difficult. We discuss what can be done regarding non-genuine absences and how to balance this with business needs. To avoid grievances over holiday rotas, employers should set clear expectations with staff surrounding holiday cover, time off around the holidays and any additional over-time needed to support the business. However, if a grievance does arise, we set out the steps to consider to ensure it is handled with care. Supporting employee wellbeing during the holiday season is crucial, as this time can bring increased stress, especially for working parents juggling childcare and work responsibilities. We highlight the ways employers can effectively support their employees to foster a positive and productive workplace culture. We explore ways to maintain an inclusive culture at Christmas, focusing on respecting diverse religious beliefs and promoting a supportive and cohesive workplace environment. While the buzz around Christmas heightens, there is no denying that the winter months can make getting to work difficult for those who need to travel. We share the key considerations for employers during this time. Over the holiday season, many businesses see an increase in remote work. With employees logging in from various locations and devices, we share the key steps to protect your business’s security during this season. Over the holiday season employees are increasingly eager to spend time with loved ones and often travel to make the most of the festive break. We share how employers can balance this with the business needs effectively to help the business run smoothly and enhance employee morale. The Christmas period can be an excellent time for workplaces to relax and employees to have fun. However, with social events like office parties, the blurring of personal and professional can present some unique HR problems. We provide guidance to help ensure your office to get together runs smoothy.
This Christmas we are covering a multitude of topics to help you navigate the holidays with ease.
Day 1
Seasonal workers rights
Day 2
Flexible working rights
Day 3
Christmas holiday pay
Day 4
Christmas bonuses and employer gift giving
Day 5
Managing employee absence over the holidays
Day 6
Handling grievances over holiday rotas
Day 7
Supporting wellbeing during the holidays
Day 8
Creating an inclusive workplace culture during the holiday season
Day 9
Can you take the day off when it’s too cold?
Day 10
Remote working security to protect your business over the holidays
Day 11
Travelling over the holiday season
Day 12
Office Christmas party guidance
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Tom is ranked as a Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500 United Kingdom 2024 edition and is also part of a team ranked as a Top Tier Firm for Education in the same edition.
Tom works with employers to prevent and resolve people issues, to ensure their organisations continue to work efficiently and effectively.
Tom is an experienced employment lawyer and is the firm’s Head of Further Education, leading our relationship with the FE sector.
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