Remote work policy - SME

P09S – Remote Work Policy is a cybersecurity compliance guideline tailored to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seeking to safeguard company information when staff operate outside traditional office environments. As indicated by its SME designation (P09S) and its focus on the General Manager role, the policy is structured for organizations lacking dedicated IT teams or formal security officers, yet maintains stringent alignment with international standards, notably ISO/IEC 27001:2022. The policy’s purpose is to establish clear, actionable security requirements for all personnel who access company systems or data remotely, whether from home, shared workspaces, or while traveling. Its priorities center on protecting business information’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability. P09S applies universally to employees, contractors, consultants, and temporary workers, covering the use of both company-owned and personal devices (where permitted), all means of remote access (VPN, remote desktop, cloud), and specific rules for data handling and monitoring. Key objectives include preventing unauthorized access to systems, ensuring all remote devices meet baseline security (such as password protection, up-to-date antivirus, and encryption), and maintaining oversight of remote access privileges. The policy places special emphasis on governance tailored for SMEs: the General Manager authorizes remote work, monitors compliance, reviews exceptions, and coordinates with IT support (internal or outsourced) for technical enforcement and incident response. Office Managers or HR are tasked with recordkeeping and obtaining policy acknowledgments, while remote workers are made accountable for physical and digital security, including reporting incidents like lost devices or policy breaches immediately. Distinct governance requirements mandate that all remote access must receive formal approval with a maintained register, secure connections (e.g., VPN and MFA) must be used at all times, and personal devices can only be used if they comply with the company’s security standards and are registered with IT. The policy also specifies strict controls over sensitive data, prohibiting home printing except with safeguards, requiring cloud storage over local saving, and ensuring documents are locked or shredded. Physical security measures prevent theft and unauthorized access to devices and documents while working remotely. Implementation sections cover incident reporting timelines, spot checks or monitoring by the General Manager or IT support, limits on allowed software and tools, immediate revocation and compliance checks on departure, and rigorous handling of temporary exceptions. The policy includes a clear framework for managing remote work risks, specifying control measures such as VPN enforcement, endpoint protection, and restrictions on printing or storage. Any exception requires written approval, documented assessment, and temporary mitigations. Repeated or significant violations can result in access termination, disciplinary actions, or contract cancellation. Review and update cycles are annual, or triggered by major incidents or changes in regulatory requirements or remote work technology. This ensures continuing compliance with leading frameworks and changing business or legal needs. P09S is explicitly mapped to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27002:2022, NIST SP 800-53, GDPR, NIS2, DORA, and COBIT 2019, providing a robust compliance backbone for SMEs needing assurance without the complexity of enterprise-grade security management.